What Comes After
by goodfairyofny
Summary: After a year of searching, Rita finally locates Raven, and has no idea what to expect of this new situation he's thrown them both into. Post game, full game spoilers, especially Raven spoilers. It's going to be a long one, will be updated every few days.
1. Chapter 1

Summary:

After a year of searching, Rita finally locates Raven, and has no idea what to expect of this new situation he's thrown them both into.

1

Immediately after Brave Vesperia defeated the adephagos, Flynn announced that Raven should likely disappear to avoid arrest. He was a traitor to the empire, a fact that had been overlooked up until this point. Rita was shocked, and the look on Raven's face reflected her own. She'd been sure there was something between them. Something neither of them had been willing to fully commit to until things were settled. The threat was over, she had preserved his life from the spirit conversion, her sixteenth birthday had passed during the commotion, making her a year older - which still wasn't "old enough" but she didn't care and had plans to convince him he didn't either. While Flynn continued to suggest he make a run for it while he still could, he locked eyes with Rita. "I'll find you when I can," he said softly, then turned and disappeared into the night.

* * *

She spent a year on little missions with Yuri, just the two of them so it wouldn't seem as obvious that their only goal was to locate Raven. They were always two steps behind him. Rita knew that Yuri had long ago given up on finding him, but he said nothing and helped her look anyway. After a year had passed, she set him free of this obligation. That was when Estelle sent word that Raven was at the castle, in a jail cell. The castle hadn't stopped looking for him either, and one slip up was all it took to be captured. Raven begged Estelle not to tell Rita that he'd been found on her back doorstep, fist raised to knock.

"I can't get you in to see him, I'm sorry," Estelle said in her letter. "Flynn said that they were going to offer him a deal, but that Raven won't like it." Rita thought that the old man must have finally gone completely crazy. Whatever deal they offered had to be better than rotting in jail, right? A week later, another letter arrived. "I think I can get in to see him. I'm going to talk to him, try to convince him to take the deal." Yuri tried to talk Rita into returning to Zaphias with him to see if there was anything they could do, but she already knew that there wasn't and refused to go with him. A month later, the last letter arrived. "Good news! Raven took the deal. He has agreed to return to the knights as Captain Schwann in exchange for full immunity. He is completely free now. My birthday party is next month, I'll have a room ready for you the week before. _Please_ come, Rita! We're all looking forward to seeing you."

That fool! He had to be completely miserable living at the castle. She knew how much he hated his life there. She had no idea why he would go back to it. Did he think he was doing her a favor or something? This wasn't freedom at all! Rita was furious. Had she known this was the plan, she would have stopped Estelle from pushing him into it. And why hadn't Yuri stopped it from happening, couldn't he have just broken him out of jail or something?!

* * *

When the time came, Rita furiously packed her bag and headed to the castle ready to tear into Estelle… only to be greeted with a huge hug from the princess herself. How was she supposed to yell at her now? "Where is he?" she asked before anything else. "I need to see him." Estelle escorted her to the hall outside his suite, where that idiot LeBlanc was posted by his door. He tried to stop her from entering, until he realized the princess had come with her. Rita burst through the door ready to scream and throw things, until she realized he was in the middle of a meeting with Flynn and Prince Yoder. Raven (Schwann?) looked over his shoulder at the interruption. He looked… good. _Really_ good. Her anger fell away to frustration and she flung her arm in front of her eyes, afraid she was going to lose it. Estelle gave her other arm a squeeze. "Pardon us for interrupting, Sir Schwann!" she said brightly. Raven collected the documents on the table into a neat stack and passed them back to Yoder. "Gentlemen, may we continue this later? It seems I have company." Yoder smiled brightly. "Of course. Come Flynn. Lady Estellise, may I escort you back to your quarters?" Rita never even heard if Estelle said yes or not. They were all just suddenly gone, and the door was shut behind her. She finally pried her arm off of her stinging eyes, unwilling to miss whatever was happening in front of her.

"Come in and sit," he said, gesturing to an armchair and sitting in the one across from it. She slunk into the chair and said nothing as she looked him over. He seemed thinner. Slender but built, she was willing to bet. Were the baggy clothes hiding this the whole time they'd spent together? His hair fell in soft waves, bangs falling into one eye. How could he look exactly the same and completely different at the same time? They both said nothing for awhile, and then he finally broke the silence. "You look well, darling." The voice was different, too. Full of composure. A little bit higher. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday again." She swallowed. "Right. I missed it again, too, I guess," she answered quietly. He nodded, and she couldn't take the seriousness any longer. "What the _hell,_ Raven! Why are you doing this?" she shouted. He smiled gently, the little crinkles around his eyes showing. That was… much better, actually.

"It was the only way, dear. I can either spend my life here, or spend it in a jail cell. I figure at least here I can see everyone once in awhile." She glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest, taking a defensive position. "It's still stupid." He propped his chin in his hand and sighed. "Well, it's done. I guess you'll just have to decide if you still like me this way," he murmured, raising an eyebrow. "I… I do," she said, turning away as she felt the blush spread over her cheeks. He let out a soft chuckle that sounded like music. "I need to go," she said, jumping up and bolting from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary:

Rita and Raven passing notes, Judith causing trouble, Estelle being the oblivious princess.

2

The next morning when she returned from breakfast, her room had been filled to bursting with flowers. Fire lilies, red roses, and peach carnations. Freaking _everywhere_! Along with them was a note written in neat cursive.

_Miss Mordio,_

_I would be honored if you would accompany me to the princess's birthday celebration this coming weekend. Please accept these flowers as a symbol of my interest in spending more time with you._

_Schwann Oltorain_

There was a stupid little heart beside his name. _Idiot_. She wished no one had seen any of it, but naturally she'd walked back from the dining room with Estelle and Judith, who snatched the note out of her hand as soon as she'd finished reading it. "Oooohhh. So are you going to say yes?" she said seductively. "I - I mean, I guess. Why wouldn't I, right? It's not like I would want to go with anyone else." She was blushing ten shades of red and she knew it by looking at Judith's expression. "Oh, that's wonderful!" Estelle exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'll go get some of my stationary so you can send a note back!" And with that she was off to her own room. Rita lifted one of the (many!) vases of flowers and took an appreciative inhale. "I have to send a note back?" she asked quietly. She was _so_ not good at this stuff. Judith nodded. "It's proper etiquette," she said cheerfully.

* * *

That morning, Schwann was wrapping up his postponed meeting with the commandant and the prince over breakfast when LeBlanc knocked to deliver a note. As he read the messily scrawled words he couldn't help the smile that spread over his features.

_Sir Schwann,_

_Thank you for the flowers, although there are really too many. I'm not sure if I'll even be able to find my bed so I can sleep tonight. Yes, I will go to the party with you. You could have just asked me, you idiot. _

_Rita_

"Good news, I expect, Captain?" Yoder asked. Schwann worked hard to fade the smile off of his face, sliding the note into his back pocket. "Of course, your highness. Now where were we…"

* * *

Rita caught a glimpse of him in the dining hall at lunch. He was surrounded by his adoring men, and she didn't fail to notice some adoring female nobles staring at him. Some worked up the nerve to approach him and speak to him. He was polite, but didn't encourage the behavior. "You should go and say hello instead of just staring at him from across the room," Judith whispered from beside her." Rita gave her a look. "It's more etiquette," she said knowingly. Rita shrugged and stood up, crossing the room slowly. He was distracted by all of his knights who were updating him on various happenings. It was clearly a working lunch. If you could call it a lunch when there was no sitting or food involved. She stopped in front of him. He hadn't looked up from the paper someone had handed him right before she got there. "Hi," she said, not knowing what else to do. His eyes raised to hers, and he handed the paper off, taking her hand in its place. "Miss Mordio," he said softly, "it's a pleasure to see you." He held onto her hand for what seemed scandalously too long while they just looked into each others' eyes and his men looked around uncomfortably. She could feel the noble women he had ignored glaring daggers into her back. "Sir," LeBlanc interrupted, "we should be getting back." Schwann glanced at him and nodded, gesturing for the knights to go on ahead. "I'll just be a moment." Rita had to force herself to swallow. "Sorry if I interrupted. I just wanted to say hello," she said, hoping she wasn't blushing too much. "I'm glad you did," he said. "Come and see me later." And then he turned and walked away.

"My, that was quite scandalous," Judith purred when she returned to their table. "I thought those women were going to attack you." Rita sighed. "That was definitely… awkward." She paused, unsure if she wanted to share or not. "He asked me to come see him later." Judith squeezed her hand. "See? It was totally the right move to go and talk to him." Rita's eyes narrowed. "I thought you said it was proper etiquette?" Judith smiled at her as Estelle arrived and sat down at the table. "What did I miss?" she asked with a bright smile.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary:

Rita and Schwann have an accidental slumber party.

3

Rita took a deep breath before she entered his hallway. Then she glared at LeBlanc. "You don't ever go home, do you?" she commented. He glared back at her. "It is my duty to protect the Captain, Miss." She shrugged. "Is he here?" LeBlanc gave her a smug look. "The Captain is resting right now. You'll have to come by tomorrow." Rita could feel her anger rising. If this fool kept it up, she was going to light him on fire. "Let me through, you moron!" she said loudly just as the door opened. "Hi," Schwann said happily. "Do you want to come in?" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the door. "No interruptions, LeBlanc." LeBlanc shot Rita a last glare. "Yes, sir." And with that he shut and locked the door behind them.

"Sorry about that," he said, still looking quite content. "They're a bit… protective of me." Rita laughed. "More like possessive." Before she even realized he was pouring it, he handed her a glass of champagne. "You look very nice this evening, darling," he said as he placed a hand on her back and gently pushed her towards the balcony where the sun was setting. She looked down at the soft pink dress she had worn to dinner. "Estelle," she said. He smiled. "Of course." He looked out at the peach painted clouds and spoke again. "I didn't know if you would come," he admitted. "Why wouldn't I?" she asked. He simply shrugged and left it at that.

They spent hours on the balcony talking. Before Rita knew it the stars were overhead, and they sat together on a blanket gazing up at them. "Brave Vesperia," he said quietly. "Yeah. Kinda weird how everything we did back then feels like it isn't real, isn't it?" Schwann smiled at the sky. "I suppose this doesn't really help," he said, gesturing to himself. She took a good, long look at him. "I don't know. You hide it well, but it's all there if you know to look." He laughed. "Should I be worried that you see through me so easily, darling?" Rita shook her head. "It isn't really that. It's that you're both. You, and him, I mean." She was quiet for a moment. "Is this the real you?" He glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to the stars. "I'm afraid so, dear."

* * *

He hadn't counted on keeping her there long enough for her to get sleepy. When she fell asleep leaning against him he couldn't bear to wake her. The contact felt so good, so right. When he realized he was dozing off as well, he carefully picked her up and placed her inside on the bed. He stripped off his shirt and collapsed onto the bed beside her. She woke in the middle of the night to warmth and a familiar whirring sound that made her feel safe. He woke to the feeling of slender fingers caressing his chest. "Mmm, Ritacchi," he murmured. When he opened his eyes, she gently placed her hand over his blastia. No one but her had touched it since Alexei. The others had only gotten glimpses because it bothered him so much. "Sorry," she said. He shook his head. "It's fine," he answered, laying his hand on top of hers. "How did we get here?" she asked. "I don't remember coming inside." Schwann laughed lightly. "I carried you, honey." Her face turned red. Of all the aspects of this situation that should have been embarrassing, somehow that was the part she found to be too much. "I should really go, I'm sorry for -" He cut her off as she sat up, pulling away. "You should stay until morning. It would look… curious, if anyone were to see you leaving my room in the middle of the night." Rita let out a long breath. "Right. I guess we wouldn't want that." Those noble women from the dining hall were probably already thinking of her as the castle slut. She refrained from mentioning that out loud. "Do you… want something more comfortable to sleep in?" he asked carefully. She nodded, and he got up, pulling a shirt from a dresser and handing it to her. "Thanks," she said, then slipped into the bathroom.

She removed her dress and bra, because no woman should ever have to sleep in one of those painful torture devices, then slipped the t-shirt he'd given her over her head. Huh. She had taken enough turns doing laundry for Brave Vesperia to know that this was way smaller, much more fitted, and shorter than a Raven shirt. It didn't help that she'd become curvier over the past year. It clung to her chest and barely covered the tops of her thighs. She sighed and walked back out of the bathroom. He'd changed into sleep pants while she was gone, but was back on the bed where she'd left him. She watched him look her up and down, then turned her head away when she felt the blush explode on her face. "Shut up!" she said, and he couldn't help but laugh as he reached an arm out towards her. An invitation. She climbed back in, and he pulled her close to his side. Without thinking about it her hand was back on him, massaging slow circles onto his chest and well defined stomach. He buried his face in her hair and let out a breath he'd been holding for a very long time.


	4. Chapter 4

Summary

Rita gives Raven an exam.

4

In the morning she was grateful to find that he had an early meeting with Flynn, who arrived right after she'd thrown her dress back on (thank god) with Yuri on his heels. She snuck out as they rushed in, hoping it looked like she'd just popped in to tell him something. LeBlanc's eyes widened at her exit. She'd promised to be discreet, so she kept her mouth shut. Well, mostly. She definitely opened it just wide enough to stick her tongue out at him as she fled the room.

She arrived at her own door and breathed a sigh of relief before she noticed Judith leaning up against the wall. "My, my, last night's dress. I take it you had a fun evening with the captain, then?" "Shut up," Rita answered. She wished she could wipe the smile off of Judith's face, which just kept growing. "_Nothing_ happened! I just fell asleep like a stupid child, and we figured it would look worse if I left at 3 am than if I snuck out this morning." Judith shifted closer, standing just beside her. "Hmm. Alright." She leaned forward and took a sniff. "You smell like him, you know." Rita had to work hard not to punch her. "Augh!" she shouted in frustration as she entered her room and slammed the door behind her. She could still hear Judith giggling in the hallway.

* * *

That night Estelle had thankfully let her wear her own clothes to dinner, a pair of nice leggings and nice top with spaghetti straps. She did try to make her wear a sweater over it, but it was warm, and Rita refused. She did however, let Judith pull her hair up into a bun for her, getting her hair that was much longer than it used to be off of her neck, except for the few strands that had managed to escape. She was attempting to have a pleasant dinner with her close friends, but found it a bit distracting that she could _feel_ a pair of blue-green eyes staring at her the entire time. She wasn't going to look. If she looked, her face was going to burst into flames.

Schwann sat at a table on his own, with some of his men loitering nearby, chin in hand, looking at Rita. He didn't even look away when he heard a chair scrape the floor as someone pulled it out to sit beside him. "Mind if I sit with you while you stare at Rita?" Yuri asked. Schwann spared him a glance before returning his eyes to the other side of the room. "Yuri Lowell," he said with a nod. "You may as well join me, you can stare at the princess for a while." Yuri gave a short laugh, and found himself doing exactly that. "She's probably going to light you on fire if she catches you, you know." Schwann nodded. "Probably." And then the object of his attention stood up and walked towards them, sitting right across the table from him. She turned to Yuri. "You should go talk to her instead of just staring at her all night." Yuri stood immediately, not wanting to stick around in case of fireballs. "Good idea," he said, and rushed over to Estelle's table to greet her.

"Listen," she said. "I was thinking that we should probably do a checkup on your…" she glanced around, aware that his men were close enough to listen. "_Heart_," she finished. He just kept looking at her with those freaking aqua eyes. It was like he could see into her soul, for god's sake! "No one's looked at it in a year," she continued. He nodded slightly. "Come by when you finish your dinner," he said, then stood and motioned for his men to follow. Did he even eat anything? She sighed and stood up, heading back to her own table.

* * *

Tonight she knocked with a tool bag in hand. LeBlanc stood in the hall giving her the side eye. She saw him glance down at her bag. "It's none of your business," she said, right before the door opened and she was motioned inside. He stayed by the door to speak to LeBlanc. "I'll need complete privacy this evening. Why don't you go home and relax?" Rita tried hard not to laugh out loud at the look on LeBlanc's face just before the door shut in it.

"Where do you want me?" Schwann asked. She turned towards him, eyes wide, before she realized it was an innocent question. He smiled like he was guilty anyway. "Th-The chair is fine," she said. He sat and waited patiently as she knelt on the carpet, digging through her tool bag. When her heart slowed back down to a normal pace, she glanced up at him. "You'll need to open your shirt." He nodded and began undoing buttons while she continued rummaging through her things. She'd spent last night with him shirtless, touching his chest, but for some reason, asking him to take his shirt off now seemed much more complicated. She took a breath as quietly as she could, then slid closer to the chair, between his legs, resting a hand on his upper thigh to stay balanced as she used the other hand to do an inspection of his blastia. He was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing the second her hand found his leg.

After a few minutes she spoke. "It looks good. That area that chipped before is still nice and smooth where I sanded it. I just need to check your formula, and then we'll be done." He nodded at her, still not breathing. She pulled up the formula and thankfully needed both hands to manipulate the data on screen, and he resumed breathing while she was distracted. When she was finished, she closed out the panel, and sat back on the carpet. "Everything's fine, but we should definitely be taking a look at it more frequently. To make sure you're healthy," she rambled. "Thank you, darling," he said as he slowly buttoned his shirt again. When he was finished, he joined her on the floor. "Are you ready for the party tomorrow night?" he asked. A guilty look flashed across Rita's face. "I am… I mean, I'm looking forward to going with you." He nodded in understanding. "You haven't spent any time letting the princess help you prepare yet." Rita gulped. "Nope." Schwann laughed that musical laugh again. It was like wind chimes, or bells or something. Was that normal? "Then I suppose I should stop monopolizing all of your time," he said, standing and reaching for her hand. She let him pull her to her feet. "I mean, I'd rather you just do that. She's going to torture me, and you're so much nicer," she tried. He smiled and caressed the fingers he was still holding onto. "I'll see you tomorrow night, dearest. It will be worth the wait." And with that, he practically pushed her out the door, signaling to one of his men that happened to be passing by and asking him to escort her back to her room. She found it annoying, but figured it was good to have someone witness her leaving at an appropriate time.

She found the princess in Judith's room, the two of them clearly discussing the party. "All right, Estelle. I'm ready for you to do your thing." Judith smirked. "Oh, Rita, I'm so excited! Do you have any ideas of what kind of dress you would like to wear?" Estelle asked. "One that will make the captain's jaw hit the floor," she said. It was going to be a long twenty-four hours of lame girl stuff. She may as well make it count.


	5. Chapter 5

Summary:

Rita and Raven go on a date.

5

Rita never realized how many maids Estelle had until they were all bugging her at once. After hours of being told to go shave things, and take scented baths (those were actually pretty nice but she wasn't going to admit to it), and to try on five billion dresses, she really couldn't wait for the whole thing to just be over. Estelle had so many gowns, some that were her mother's, many her own, and even some that belonged to other former princesses. Rita hated the majority of them. They were too big and poofy, too pink, and too lacy. Judith had found something immediately, it was purple and showed off her boobs. Whatever princess had worn _that_ must have been interesting. Rita felt sure she would never find anything, and then she saw it. It was long and black, with a very long slit up one leg. It highlighted every curve all the way down her body, while also showing off how slender she was. Estelle and the maids tried to talk her into wearing something over it, "for modesty!" Rita refused.

After lunch, Judith returned from a brief disappearance. "I ran into your date in the hall. He asked me what color you were wearing so he can send some flowers." Rita groaned. How could she possibly need him to send her _more_ flowers?! "I told him you were going with red for jewelry, was that okay?" she asked with a tilt of her head that suggested she didn't really care if it was. Rita nodded. "Oh, Rita!" Estelle exclaimed. "You should get dressed and then we can do your hair and accessorize!"

When she slipped into the bathroom where her dress was waiting, her eyes narrowed at the ridiculous black lace bra and panties that had been laid out for her. How did these crazy maids even know what size underwear she wore? Judith poked her head through the door. "What, you don't like them? They match the dress, so they won't show." She wanted to mention that the dress wasn't lacy, but she held her tongue. "Whatever," she mumbled. Judith left with a giggle, and she got dressed in peace. When she emerged from the bathroom, the maids had brought in a huge tray of jewelry containing rubies. "What do you think?" Estelle asked. "That's… a lot more than I need," she said. She sifted through them for awhile. In the end, she settled on a pair of earrings that Estelle thought were nice, and a necklace that Judith said made her neck look "very appealing", whatever that meant. She had no idea about this stuff, so she trusted their judgement. Part of her hair was braided, then wrapped around a bun, leaving her neck exposed, except for those shorter strands that always trailed down. One of the maids delivered the _freaking_ bouquet of fire lilies, and had the idea to put a couple on combs in her hair. Rita didn't admit it out loud, but it looked good. _She_ looked good. Freaking fantastic, really. She slipped into her shoes and headed out behind Judith to find their dates.

* * *

Karol had offered to escort Judith since Nan wasn't going to be there, and Rita watched his eyes bug out when he saw what his date was wearing for the evening. She could see her own date leaning against the wall, looking a bit more Raven in posture, but definitely Schwann in looks. To be honest, he looked a bit worried. Did he think she would stand him up? They were currently living in the same castle, and neither of them could miss Estelle's party. She took a breath to steady herself, then walked up to him. When he lifted his eyes from the ground, they widened as he pushed himself off the wall. They were standing in front of the open doors to the hall, so all eyes were on them as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it. Rita had always thought these little gestures that nobles liked were odd, but this one sent a shiver through her entire body. "You look stunning, darling," he said, then grazed her knuckles with his lips again before letting her hand go and offering her his arm. She took it and let him lead her into the hall. Yuri smirked at her as they walked by. It took all she had to not stick her tongue out at him.

After Estelle's big entrance, the music changed and the dancing began. She was extremely glad she had asked Judith and Estelle to show her what to do that morning. She nearly forgot how to breathe when Schwann placed his hand on her waist, but by the third song, her head rested on his chest and her hand was twisted in his hair at the back of his neck. He smiled down at her. "Comfortable, darling?" he asked. She didn't look up at him. "Shut up," she replied, but there was no bite to her words. She was so wrapped up in just being in his arms that she forgot to see if Yuri had asked Estelle to dance, if Karol had burst into flames from being so close to Judith in that dress yet, or to stick her tongue out at LeBlanc's disapproving look. They conversed softly as they danced, only separating during the brief intermission, when they got a drink and spoke with their friends. "How mad would you be if I set your man over there on fire?" she asked quietly, gesturing to LeBlanc who was openly scowling at her as they headed back to the dance floor. "I wouldn't necessarily be mad, but could you wait until later when not as many people are watching?" She laughed, surprised by his approval.

* * *

When the party started winding down, he walked her back to her room. "This is me," she said, stopping at her door. "Do you… want to come in?" she asked shyly. There was a long pause before he answered. "I would like to, but I probably shouldn't," he said. Then he leaned forward and pulled her into a deep kiss, one hand on the back of her neck and one on her hip. She threw her arms around his neck enthusiastically, deepening the kiss even more. Before she knew it, he had broken it and she was completely breathless. "Good night, darling," he said before he turned and headed back to his own room. Rita spent much of the night trying to stop herself from running to his room and having her way with him. Schwann spent the entire night wide awake, wishing he had walked her back to his room instead, and invited her to spend the night.


	6. Chapter 6

Summary:

Rita finds a bunch of gifts in her room, then rifles through Yuri's closet. Also, magic.

6

The next morning, more flowers were delivered. All red roses this time; not an entire room full, but still too many. There was also a note and a gift. A gold chain bracelet with a very large ruby dangling from it. "Oh, my," Judith said, snatching it from her hand as she opened the note, with Estelle reading over her shoulder. "Oh, that's so romantic!" Estelle gushed.

_Miss Mordio,_

_Thank you for attending the party with me last night. You were certainly the most beautiful woman in the room and I am lucky to have spent so much time with you. Please accept this gift as a token of my affection._

_\- Schwann Oltorain_

_P.S. I'm sorry about the flowers._

Rita glared at the little heart beneath his name again. "Sorry, my ass," she grumbled. "Do I have to send him a thank you note or something?" she asked the girls. "Oh no," Estelle reassured her. "Not this time. Just wearing his gift in public will let him know that you accepted it." Rita sighed in relief and held out her wrist to Judith, who fastened it for her. "Wait, what are all those?" she asked, noticing an entire stack of cards. "Oh, those are notes from your _other_ admirers," Judith said with a wink. "Admirers?" Rita asked. Estelle blushed. "They're from other men who are interested in you," she said. "Why would… How many did _you_ get?" she asked Judith. "Oh, quite a few, but not as many as you did." Rita's mouth fell open. "It would seem that attending the party with the first captain generated much interest and… competition," Estelle said. Rita wrinkled her nose. "I can just throw these in the trash, right?" Estelle giggled. "Yes, if you're not interested, you aren't required to respond at all." Rita dumped them into the bin and lit them on fire while Judith smirked and Estelle called to a servant for a fire extinguisher.

* * *

Rita arrived at breakfast as Schwann was leaving. He caught her at the doorway to the dining hall. "Good morning, darling, I trust you slept well?" he asked with a smile. His eyes moved down to her wrist, and his fingers followed, tugging gently on the bracelet when he saw it. His eyes settled back on hers as he waited for a response. "Eventually," she said, and he laughed like a melody again. "Umm, thank you," she said, looking back at her wrist that he was still holding onto. He was rubbing slow circles into it with his thumb. "You're welcome," he said. "I'm glad that you liked it." He reluctantly released her hand. "I'll see you later?" he asked. Another invitation. She nodded, and he walked out of the hall. She walked in, noting the many angry glares the noble women were giving her. "My, that looked delicious," Judith teased as she took her seat. "_Judith_!" Estelle scolded. Rita wanted to be angry, but her wrist was still tingling, and a plate of eggs and bacon had just been placed in front of her. She could let it go for now.

* * *

During the mid morning Rita was walking the grounds with Estelle when they heard a commotion coming from the lower quarter. They raced down to see what was happening. Estelle ran faster than she did, despite the fact that she was wearing heels and Rita wasn't. She could see Schwann and LeBlanc, and a bunch of lower quarter citizens. The barrier had been breached and people were running towards Rita screaming. "Stay here!" Schwann shouted. "But, sir -" LeBlanc protested. "Stay! You need to protect the princess and our people! I've got this!" he exclaimed, jumping into the fray of monsters just outside the edge of the city. Rita finally arrived at Estelle's side. "He has nothing but a knife. That idiot's going to get himself killed!" she yelled. Then it came to her. "Does Yuri still keep the weapons in his room?" Estelle nodded. "He does." Rita nodded back at her. "I'll be right back!" she shouted, running towards the inn and up the stairs to Yuri's room. Thankfully he always left the window open. She yanked open the closet and frantically searched through Yuri's mess until she found the bow. Her own weapon wasn't a problem; she always kept her sash on her for the most part. Just not when she was wearing fancy dresses and dancing with handsome idiot captains. She rushed back down and yelled to Estelle as she passed. "Stay here, the people will need your help!" "Miss -" LeBlanc started. "No you don't! You stay right here with the princess! I'll keep him safe," she said as she flew by him.

As she flung herself through the busted gate she called out to him loudly. "RAVEN!" she screamed. He turned and she tossed him the bow. He caught it effortlessly and continued to fight as she made her way to him. When she reached his side, she began casting fire. "Give me a hit of that, darling," he said, reaching a hand towards her. She grasped his fingers, shooting a stream of her magic into his hand. He turned it into one of his strongest wind spells. Rita smiled as she continued to cast, and he downed more enemies with his bow. "Cool me down now, sweetheart," he said, and she switched to water. "O caprice of innocent waters... Champagne!" she shouted, and the water froze as it flowed from her hand to his. "Crazy... slippery... crackly BOOM! Inverno!"

When all the monsters were gone, they collapsed to the ground. Raven (Schwann?) shot a healing spell at them both with his bow. "Who loves ya, baby?" Then they both flopped down on the grass, laying side by side on their backs. "Are you alright, dear?" he asked her when he caught his breath. "Fine. You?" He laughed. "Absolutely, but us old folks need a bit longer to recover." Rita glared at him. "You haven't aged a day since the spirit conversion." He turned to her and smiled. "You and I know that, but the rest of them don't." Yuri called out to them from the gate. When had he gotten here? "You two doing alright?" he asked. Schwann gave a thumbs up, still making no attempt to get off the ground. Rita sighed and stood, brushing the dirt and grass from her skirt. "Great, now my clothes are all dirty." He was still laying on the ground grinning at her, so she reached her hand down. He took it, letting her pull him up. That was when she looked back towards the town and realized everyone was staring in disbelief. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have called you -" He cut her off with another smile. "No harm done, darling."

They walked back in, and he tossed the bow to Yuri. "Thanks for the loaner." Yuri smirked. "No problem. You sure you don't want to hang onto it?" Schwann shook his head. "Leave it here. You never know when I may need to borrow it again." Yuri nodded and Schwann walked past him, calling out to his lieutenant. "Come, LeBlanc." And with that, they headed back to the castle. A handful of his brigade were already heading down with materials to fix the gate. "Oh, Rita, I was so worried, are you hurt?" Estelle asked. Rita shook her head. "I'm fine." She was quiet as Yuri walked the two of them back to the castle. Rita went to her room to change. She shut her door and flopped onto the bed. She felt drunk on magic. And also drunk on Schwann. What on earth was she going to do about him?


	7. Chapter 7

Summary:

Rita and Schwann get it on.

7

Later that afternoon, Schwann heard a commotion outside of his room that sounded like Rita about to seriously harm LeBlanc who was shouting, "No Miss, you cannot just go in there unannounced!" He turned as she opened the door, all the fire falling out of her as soon as she stepped into the room. She shut the door behind her. "Darling?" he asked. Rita wrung out her hands. "I can't stop thinking about today. The magic - and you - I don't know what -" She couldn't get the words out. He crossed the room to her. "I feel the same," he said. And then he kissed her for the second time, hands fisting in her hair, hers gripping his hips. "I don't think I can stay away from you any longer, darling," he gasped between kisses.

She was unbuttoning his shirt (from the bottom, thankfully), and one of his hands was sliding up her thigh beneath her skirt when the door burst open. "Sir, you have -" LeBlanc froze, and they didn't even pause the moment to deal with him. Schwann waved him off, breaking his lips away from hers just long enough to yell, "Privacy, please!" LeBlanc hurried out the door, and Rita giggled as Schwann stumbled towards it, dragging her along with him to lock it. He pressed her up against it, running his hands down her body. She finally finished with the buttons, freeing him of his shirt. He lifted her up, carrying her to the bed and throwing her on it before getting to work on her clothing. She'd noticed when getting dressed that morning that more of those lacy bras and panties in various colors had appeared in her room. She'd considered choosing a simple color and then thought "what the hell?!" and went with red. He smirked when he saw them. "Ritacchi," he murmured. "Did you wear these just for me?" She turned as red as the lace. "Shut _up_," she said, swatting him away with one hand, then pulling him back to her lips.

It wasn't the first time Rita had sex, but it was the first time it was with someone who mattered, and the first time she'd enjoyed it. She hadn't expected him to be so… athletic, in bed. She'd also never had anyone hold her afterwards. It was probably the nicest she had ever felt. "Are you hungry, darling?" he said softly by her ear. He kissed her head and went back to caressing her hair as he waited for a reply. "Mmm," she said. "I think." He chuckled softly. "I could have dinner sent up. Then we can take a nice, hot bath before you decide if you'd like to spend more time in bed with me tonight." Rita let out a content sigh. "Sign me up." He kissed her neck, grazing her with his teeth before the warmth went away as he got up and slid into a black robe that he kept by the bed. "There's a spare in the bathroom you can borrow. I'll be back in just a moment." She nodded and stood up, feeling tingly as he watched her walk naked to the bathroom. After she was gone, he opened the door to the hallway, stepping out to see if LeBlanc had stuck around. He was leaning against the opposite side of the hallway, against the wall. When he saw Schwann come out in just a robe, his face flushed bright pink. "Have the kitchen send up dinner for two, please. And clear my morning tomorrow. Then go home for the night." LeBlanc looked like he was about to object. "I'll be fine, and you would rather not be here anyway," he said gently. Then he went back into the room.

When Rita exited the bathroom in a white robe that at least two of her could fit in, he was waiting in an armchair. He opened his arms, and she slid into the chair with him. Cuddling round two was interrupted much too soon, as the food arrived way faster than it should have. He clearly had connections she didn't fully understand yet. They followed his suggestion for the evening with dinner, a steamy bath, and a very long time in bed. Before Rita fell asleep, she raised her head from his chest to look up into his aqua eyes. He didn't look nearly as tired as she must have. He looked elated. "Schwann?" she asked quietly. "Yes, darling?" She had to fight to keep her eyes from fluttering shut. "I love you," she said, barely above a whisper. He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms even tighter around her. "I love you, too, Ritacchi." It was the last thing she heard as she drifted off to sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Summary:

Rita actually sleeps in her own room, rumors fly around the castle, and the gang visits Repede.

8

Rita hadn't slept in her own bed in a week. She wasn't necessarily unhappy about that, but decided to drag the captain back to her room after dinner for a change. "You know it won't be a good thing if I'm seen entering a young lady's bedroom, right?" he asked. She rolled her eyes at him. "I don't really care about your reputation," she said. Schwann smiled brightly. "Huh. As it turns out, neither do I," and with that, she pulled him into her room. It only took her a minute to talk him into sitting on her bed. She pushed him flat on his back and pinned his arms above his head and was kissing him breathless when a maid walked in without knocking.

"Miss- _Oh, my_," she said. Rita sat up. Schwann thought about mentioning that she was still straddling him in a scandalous way, but decided to keep his mouth shut. "Don't you ever knock?!" Rita shouted, and the maid fled the room. They could hear her in the hall, loudly passing on the gossip to the other servants. Rita looked down at him. "Stay right here. I mean it, don't move." She got up and locked the door, then hopped back on top of him. "Now where was I?" she asked. Schwann took a breath. "Right there, I believe." As soon as they resumed kissing, the door that joined her room to Judith's burst open. "Ooohhh, so you are here, Rita. We didn't know you brought a friend," Judith purred as Estelle blushed furiously behind her. Rita leapt from the bed. "Oh my _freaking_ god, you are _so_ dead, Judith!" she shouted as she shut and locked the door in her friend's face."We should give them some privacy," Estelle said on the other side of the door. "Let's have a slumber party in my room!" "Ohh, Okay!" Judith said cheerfully.

Rita climbed back on the bed, trying to compose herself. Schwann wasn't sure how many more times he could take her jumping on top of him before he went completely crazy. "I'm sorry about that," she said demurely. "I have terrible friends." He took another breath. "We're alone now," he pointed out. Then he pulled her down to him and flipped so she was underneath him. "Thank god for that," she said as he kissed up and down her neck. "I like having you in my bed for a change, more than I thought I would," she said between gasps. "Is that so?" he murmured against her lips, right before taking a nibble. "Mmm," she said, finished talking for awhile.

She woke in his arms the next morning, sunlight filtering across his features. Reaching up to stroke his cheek, she breathed out his name on a sigh. "Raven." He smiled gently. "Maybe. You never know who you're going to get with me, right?" She laughed. "I'm sorry. I forgot where we were for a moment." He held her for awhile longer, then sighed as he loosened his grip. "I should go grab a shower and change before too many people see me. I'll meet you in the dining hall?" Rita frowned, but let him go. "Fine," she said with a pout. He laughed his musical laugh before slipping out the door.

* * *

Schwann crept quietly into his hallway, nodding to a weary LeBlanc as he entered his room. He took a quick shower, threw on a dark grey sweater and slacks, then allowed LeBlanc to enter, giving him the morning updates. "S-Sir…" LeBlanc said hesitantly. Schwann raised an eyebrow. "Are you… alright? You have a bruise on your neck." Schwann thought for a moment, finally ending on the memory of Rita sucking on his neck the previous night. He smiled brightly. "Couldn't be better," he said happily.

Rita crossed paths with Judith on her way to breakfast. "You're done already?" she asked. Judith nodded. "You're running very late this morning. I saw the good captain sporting quite the hickey on his neck. Impressive," she said with a wink. Rita's eyes widened. "Don't worry, he seemed rather pleased about it when I commented," Judith said with a laugh. Rita made a grab for her, but she made it safely into her room before any of her punches connected.

A half hour later, she was sitting alone in the dining hall, scarfing down the huge plate of bacon and eggs that had appeared before her moments after she arrived. "You look ravenous, darling," a voice said behind her. "Seems you worked up quite an appetite overnight." She glared at him over her eggs as he sat across from her. The kitchen staff immediately rushed over to him with coffee and a plate of food. It was like they'd been waiting for him. He nodded in thanks, returning his attention to her immediately. "Your friends aren't joining you this morning?" Rita shook her head. "Already left. I got here too late, I guess." He smiled at her. "Well, it seems my entire brigade is gone already as well. There's no choice but to enjoy breakfast together." Rita smiled back at him, and then her stomach did a flip. Wasn't this bad? He was still fresh from the shower, his hair falling damp past his shoulders. Her eyes settled on his neck where she'd left quite a mark. "Whatever will the people think, Sir Schwann?" she asked coyly. He laughed out loud, completely taken by surprise.

"Rita! Ra- er, Captain Schwann!" Karol shouted from across the room. Yuri was behind him. He had the back of Karol's shirt, trying to keep him from barrelling towards them. Schwann motioned them to come forward. "Master Karol," he said. "How are things with your guild? Sit," he said, nodding to Yuri. "Sorry," Yuri whispered to Rita. "We didn't mean to interrupt." Rita shrugged. "It's probably better that you did. Things were about to get weird in here with everyone staring at us and this goofball smiling at me and laughing." Schwann raised an eyebrow. "Very out of character, captain," she said lightly. He reached across the table and grasped her fingers. An impulse. "It's not my fault that you make me happy," he said before releasing her hand and turning back to Karol. "Eww," Yuri said.

"Hey, where's the dog at, anyway?" Rita asked Yuri. It was strange to have the entire gang around without the pooch. "They don't let me bring him in the castle," Yuri said with a shrug. "He stays in the lower quarter with Ted when I'm not there." Rita narrowed her eyes at him. "Estelle loves the dog," she said. Yuri shrugged again. "She tried." Schwann (Raven?) was fussing over Karol's guild stories like a proud father. Rita sighed. It was both really weird and incredibly adorable. "I think I'm going to go for a walk, go see Repede. Anyone want to come?" she asked. Karol looked up. "Yeah! I haven't seen him in awhile either!" Yuri stood up. "He'll like that. Captain?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Schwann. "Of course," he said, standing and offering Rita his arm. She took it, but blushed a little. Yuri laughed. Karol didn't notice.

* * *

"Do you think Estelle will be mad when she finds out we all went to visit Repede without her?" Karol asked as they reached the lower quarter. "Nah," Yuri answered. "She comes to see him whenever she can sneak out." Before they made it to the bottom of the stairs, they heard a bark, and Repede rushed over to greet them. Schwann held his hand out, letting the dog read his scent before petting him. Rita shook her head. Even as Raven, the pooch had always liked spending time with him. Schwann bent down to his level, giving Repede a good, long scratch behind his ears. Brave Vesperia wandered out to the fountain, talking and laughing together as Karol played with Repede, who seemed content to have the attention. Rita glanced at Schwann. He looked genuinely happy. Not really like Raven, but happier than she'd seen him with the group since he'd left Raven behind. He noticed her looking and gave a softer smile just for her. She took his hand, squeezing his fingers before letting it go and allowing herself to get caught up in the banter with the others. Maybe it didn't matter at all who he was, so long as he was here with her.


	9. Chapter 9

Summary:

Time jump; cohabitation, Rita makes a big mistake, Schwann takes a trip.

9

In time that passed like moments, Rita woke up in Schwann's arms. He kissed her neck as he murmured a soft and playful "Ritacchi," and she smiled without opening her eyes. "Can I help you with something?" she asked. He laughed a melody next to her ear. "Actually, there is something that I want from you, darling." She opened her eyes to look at him, then shut them again. "Mmm. Already? It's kind of early for that," she said, snuggling closer to him. "Not _that_, dear," he said quietly with a chuckle. "I think it's time we take our relationship to the next level," he said casually. Her eyes shot open and she rolled onto her stomach. "What?" she asked. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear before he spoke again. "You've been sleeping in my bed for almost two years now, darling. Don't you think it's time you moved up here with me?"

Rita's heart was racing. She had no idea what the proper response to this was. Things were so _good_ between them. "I mean, I pretty much do live here," she said defensively. He smiled at her gently. "Yet you still keep a room downstairs. In case you tire of me?" he asked innocently. "Why would I ever do that?" she asked. Rita was starting to feel a little bit angry. And definitely very guilty. She really didn't need the other room, or want it. "I thought this whole thing between us was supposed to be quiet. Because it's so _inappropriate_," she said, attempting to copy his voice. He burst into laughter, and she smiled tentatively. "I don't care about anything but being with you, darling. I'm tired of keeping you a secret when you're all that matters to me." Rita covered her eyes with her arm, willing the tears that threatened to flow from her eyes to go away before he saw them. When she felt like she had it under control, she flung her arm aside and put on her best Rita Mordio attitude. "Augh, _fine_! You win! I'll move in with you." Schwann kissed her neck, and she could feel the smile on his face. "Don't make me regret this, you idiot," she said, trying her hardest not to smile back and failing miserably. "I'll do my best, dearest," he replied.

* * *

By evening her room downstairs was empty, and the servants had taken her handful of boxes to his room. "It feels strange that you're leaving, even though you spent hardly any time here," Estelle said beside her as she took a last look. Rita looked at the sadness on her friend's face. "I'm just going upstairs, Estelle, geeze." Estelle got defensive. "I-I know! I just liked knowing that you had a place here, close to me." Rita squeezed her hand and smiled. "I do have a place here close to you. Upstairs, with the idiot." Estelle giggled and wiped at her eyes. "I'm really happy for the two of you," she said. "Thanks," Rita said honestly.

* * *

Rita hadn't expected to gain anything from this new arrangement, but she felt like her relationship with Schwann deepened the moment she officially moved in. Every touch, every kiss, and every sweet word murmured between them had an added layer of depth and meaning that she couldn't explain. Every sensation was heightened. She felt like she might burst from loving him so much, and it was clear that he felt the same.

Unfortunately, the castle didn't feel as positively about the change. The nobles (especially the women) were openly hostile towards her, so long as Schwann wasn't in the room. His brigade was incredibly loyal, so even those that weren't happy about his choices were completely loyal to her as well, including LeBlanc. They of course had Estelle's support, as well as Yoder's and Flynn's, but the majority of the castle disapproved. The gossip about them was ugly, and Rita tried her best to ignore it and pretend it didn't bother her. It was hard feeling both unwaveringly happy and completely miserable at the same time.

* * *

Schwann was important, so most held their tongues in his presence, attacking her when she was on her own, or simply whispering behind their backs. One evening at dinner, an intoxicated noble woman approached them. She kept repeating that she thought their relationship was disgusting, and threw her drink at Rita, pouring it all over her dress. His men intervened, and they escaped the dining hall while the woman was dealt with. Back in their room, Rita focused on changing, and trying to soak the wine stain from her dress. She didn't really care about it that much, but Estelle had loaned her the dress, and she felt bad about it. Schwann hadn't said anything since they left the hall. He'd been sitting and watching her work on the stain silently. Then he was on his feet, at her shoulder. "Are you alright, darling?" Rita kept her back to him and kept scrubbing. She refused to let him see her tears. He was so happy. There was no reason for him to have to know how bad this was for her.

Until he turned her toward him and pulled the dress from her hands, setting it aside. He took her face in his hands, and she shook her head, shrugging him off. "No," she said, "I'm fine. _Stop_." He pulled her into his arms again anyway. "I'm so sorry, darling. What she said was inexcusable -" She cut him off. "What she said was typical, and I'm so tired of it," she said, trying to pull away from him. "Darling?" he asked with concern. "This is the first I've heard -" She cut him off again, anger building. "Because I haven't told you! I didn't want you to know! They think I'm a whore, and they always will so long as you continue to treat me like one!" It felt as though she had slapped him hard across the face. He dropped his hands, backed away. Rita covered her mouth with her hands. "I-I didn't mean that. It isn't how I feel, I -" Schwann was quiet. "No, darling. You're absolutely right." Rita shook her head. "No, I… It isn't true. Please, I… I love you," she said quietly. He brushed her hair from her face. "I love you, too," he said. "It's late. We should sleep."

He held her in his arms that night, wide awake as she quietly sobbed until she fell asleep. Before first light he got up and quietly packed a bag. He spoke with LeBlanc in the hallway on his way out. "Tell her that I'll be gone a few days." LeBlanc looked incredibly concerned. "But sir, where are you going?" Schwann shook his head. "It's personal business." LeBlanc let out a soft sigh. "Yes, sir."


	10. Chapter 10

Summary:

Rita cries a lot, LeBlanc is nice to her, and that idiot Raven makes an appearance.

10

When Rita woke, she was alone. A frantic look around the room told her there were clothes missing. She threw on some of her own, then burst into the hallway. "Where is he?" she asked LeBlanc. "I don't know, miss. He said he would be gone a few days." She went back in the room, slamming the door behind her. LeBlanc hated listening to her cry, but he had promised to look after her. Each day that Schwann was gone, she stayed in his room crying, and at night, she slept in Estelle's room, completely exhausted and out of tears. The third night, she couldn't bear to let Estelle fret over her anymore, so she returned to the room before bed, and cried herself to sleep.

That's how he found her early the next morning when he crept into the room to grab a few things. She was asleep, even as tears rolled down her cheeks. He carefully wiped the tears away, and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Then he covered her with a blanket. He thought he had woken her when she quietly whimpered his name, but it turned out she was only talking in her sleep. He kissed her again and exited the room. "Do you want me to tell her that you're home, sir?" LeBlanc asked. Schwann shook his head and spoke quietly. "I'm going to help out in the lower quarter today as Raven. She'll see me there." He paused before he spoke again. "Make sure that she still goes. Remind her that she made a promise to Yuri Lowell." LeBlanc frowned. "Of course, sir."

* * *

Rita could have sworn he was there with her, his fingers touching her face and his lips on her cheek. When she opened her eyes she was still alone. She didn't remember the blanket being there, but she must have grabbed it before she fell asleep. Right? She had no interest in being around people, but she'd promised Yuri that she would help the lower quarter. Everyone was getting together to put a fresh coat of paint on the buildings. Sprucing things up down there would benefit everyone, and she wanted to be a part of it. Estelle had made shirts for the event, for the volunteers to wear, and then Flynn had forbid her from going down there herself. Rita put her shirt on with a pair of leggings and her most comfortable boots, then walked out into the hallway. "You really don't have to stay here when it's just me," she mumbled as she started to walk past LeBlanc, keeping her puffy eyes on the floor. "He asked me to stay," he answered quietly. She looked up at him in shock. Before she could say anything, he asked a question. "Are you going to the event in the lower quarter today, miss?" She nodded. "Good," he said. "Have a pleasant day." She shook her head again and almost laughed. It was super weird when he was actually nice to her. Then she left the castle. Maybe getting away from it for a few hours would do her some good.

* * *

When she saw him in the lower quarter she had to choke back a sob and hang onto her heart so it wouldn't burst. Yuri noticed her first and grabbed onto her arm, steadying her. "I know, right? What an idiot," he said, gesturing towards Raven. And he was one hundred percent Raven. "Rita, darlin'! It's been so long!" he said with a huge grin. She took a breath, trying not to fall apart. "What, no hug?" he asked. "Maybe later, then." And then he went back to work. Rita tried to work as well, but she had a hard time taking her eyes off of him. He was happy-go-lucky, good-natured Raven. At one point she was standing behind him and he looked back and grinned wickedly at her. "Like what you see, darlin?" he asked with a wink. "Augh, shut up!" she said, crossing her arms over her chest and blushing like crazy. He was painting again, but turned back to wiggle an eyebrow at her. Yuri paused beside her. "It's weird, right? He looks totally different. Beats me how he does it," he whispered before walking off. The coveralls he wore were at least two sizes bigger than necessary, so they made him look much larger than he really was. The ponytail made his face look wider. The constant grin was probably part of it as well. He was wearing stupid sneakers which the captain would never be caught dead in, and had managed to spill all kinds of paint on his shoes and his clothing.

When the sun started to set, and cleanup had been done for the day, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the inn. "Come on, darlin', why don't you visit with ol' Raven for awhile," he said as he opened the door to the room he had rented and pushed her inside. Once the door was shut he had her pinned to it, kissing her deeply, hands all over her. "God, you're such an idiot!" Rita exclaimed as she worked on getting the coveralls off of him. It was even weirder seeing him naked and slender, with the ponytail still in, but she needed him too much to bother whining about it. When they'd both finally gotten enough of each other to feel like they could breathe again, he held her in his arms. "Do you think your boyfriend will mind that you're sleeping with me?" he asked in his best Raven voice. "I don't think he'll mind, but only with you," she said. She rolled her eyes and yanked the ponytail out. His hair fell in his eyes, instantly changing him back to Schwann. "I guess you've found me out, darling," he said happily in his own voice. She kissed him tenderly. "I missed you," she said quietly. "I know. I missed you, too," he said. "I'm sorry that I left without telling you." She nodded. "It's fine," she lied. "It's not," he said honestly. "I hurt you. I won't do that again, I promise." Rita sighed. "I hurt you first. I'm sorry, too." They just held onto one another for awhile before he spoke again. "Ritacchi," he murmured in his deepest, softest Raven voice. "Let me make love to you some more." She sighed, falling for him all over again.

* * *

Notes: This chapter and the next are why I started writing this story to begin with. When I saw the Tales of Festival 2019 pictures of both Raven and Schwann, it struck me how completely different and totally the same they looked. After that, the story just bloomed in my head. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed thinking about it over the past few weeks.


	11. Chapter 11

Summary:

Fun with paint

11

He was out of bed getting dressed before dawn. As hard as she tried, Rita couldn't keep the disappointment off of her face. He smiled at her as he tied his hair back, completing his Raven look. "LeBlanc is sneaking me back in the castle, so I can come down as myself today. I won't be gone long, darling." He kissed her enthusiastically before he left the inn, disappearing into the night yet again. She took her time getting showered and dressed. Estelle had heard she was staying in the lower quarter for the night and had sent her a fresh volunteer shirt and a clean pair of leggings. The shirt was too big, so she tied it in a knot above the small of her back, pulled her hair up in a messy bun, and stepped out of the inn into the sunshine.

She was just in time to see him arrive. She stopped beside Yuri as Schwann escorted the princess down the stairs, LeBlanc at his other side. He was such a freaking ham, always having to make a big entrance everywhere he went. She wondered if he even realized he was doing it half the time. He handed Estelle off to Yuri and took Rita's hand, kissing it gently. "Good morning, darling." She let out a soft sigh. "Idiot," she murmured. Today the coveralls were the right size, and the belt he wore around his hips accentuated his slim figure. The shirt he wore underneath was much more fitted, and his black combat boots were both stylish and appropriate for the job. He wore his hair down as usual, not the least bit concerned about getting paint in his shoulder length waves.

They spent the day working hard alongside their friends. At noon, she rolled her eyes as men from his brigade brought down a cart stocked with lunch for everyone in the entire lower quarter. Then, when she was fairly certain no one was looking, she raised up on her toes and kissed his cheek. His heart was so pure that it was ridiculous. She wouldn't be at all surprised later in the day, when another cart with dinner arrived, but the citizens would be.

In the afternoon, she was painting in between Schwann and Estelle, with Yuri on the princess's other side. They chatted happily as they worked. At one point, the topic shifted to her unwavering focus on her work. "I don't know how you put up with it all the time. Isn't it annoying that her face is always stuck in some lame science book?" Yuri asked. "Oh, Yuri, that's mean!" Estelle exclaimed. "It can be trying at times," Schwann answered. "I just shake something shiny at her," he said with a small laugh. What on earth was happening?! Rita chose to react in a physical way rather than saying anything. She shoved her hand in the paint pan they'd been sharing, then pressed her hand hard to his chest, smearing paint all over him. He looked scandalized, mouth dropping open in horror. And then she realized she'd made a huge mistake. He rolled purple paint all the way up her arm with his paint roller. She dipped her hands in another pan, grabbing another color, accidentally flicking some on Estelle who squealed and bumped into Yuri. Naturally, Yuri found it funny and dipped his own hand, putting a hand print on Estelle's arm. Schwann knew he was in trouble and prepared his hands, accidentally bumping into LeBlanc, almost knocking him over. Schwann placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him, leaving a nice orange handprint behind as LeBlanc scoffed at them both. Rita saw her opening and grabbed both of Schwann's hips, leaving nicely defined handprints and spreading hot pink paint all the way up his sides. He started laughing that musical laugh at her, and she thought she might melt when he grabbed her and pulled her to him for a kiss in front of the entire lower quarter. He left brightly colored orange and green handprints on her lower back and between her shoulder blades as he kissed her deeply. "S-Sir!" LeBlanc scolded in a whisper. Schwann reluctantly broke the kiss, letting her go with a slight blush on his face. "Sorry," he said sheepishly while the others chuckled. It took a long while for Rita's heart to settle back down as she went back to painting.

They worked until sunset, completing the job, and leaving everyone in the lower quarter well fed. LeBlanc insisted on escorting Estelle back to the castle, and she shouted a happy goodbye to Yuri from the top of the stairs. Schwann placed his hand at the small of Rita's back. "Come on, darling, let's go home." He held up his other hand to Yuri before they disappeared from view. When they got back to their room, they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, tumbling onto the bed and spreading a rainbow of damp paint around as they welcomed each other home after so many days apart. Rita was relieved that he'd convinced LeBlanc to go home for the evening. She had no interest in being quiet about her love for this man tonight.


	12. Chapter 12

Summary:

Rita gets asked on a date; inky memories; another year older.

12

A few days later, she returned from having lunch with Estelle to find him sitting in an armchair waiting for her. "Meetings are all done?" He nodded to her, looking more tired than when she'd left him that morning. "What's this?" she asked, noticing a box on the bed that was wrapped in a huge red bow. "A gift," he said softly. She raised an eyebrow as she slid the bow off, opening the box. She pulled out a little black dress. It was strapless and short, flowing softly from a fitted waist and scalloped at the bottom. "I thought you could wear it out to dinner tonight," he said, studying her expression. "We're going… out?" she asked tentatively. "Why?" His own expression softened as he spoke. "It's time I start treating you how you deserve to be treated." Rita dropped the dress and walked towards him, kneeling down in front of his chair. "I didn't mean what I said," she whispered. "What you said was incredibly true," he said just as quietly. "I should never have hid our relationship. I thought I was protecting you, but I was only causing you to hurt. That ends now." Rita shook her head. "With dinner?" she asked. "With everything," he said thoughtfully. "I want the entire world to know how important you are to me." She let out a slow breath and nodded.

* * *

He had tipped off Estelle about their date, and she was summoned to get ready in the princess's room. He promised to pick her up in time for dinner. Rita couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous this all seemed. They lived together for god's sake! She felt a bit nostalgic though, thinking about getting ready for their first date almost two years before, for Estelle's birthday party. "This is kind of stupid, isn't it?" Rita asked her friend. "Oh, not at all!" Estelle exclaimed. "I think it's so romantic!" Rita shook her head. Of course she would.

He knocked right on time. She had worn her long auburn hair down, falling in soft waves well below her shoulders. He slid a corsage on her wrist, fire lilies and red roses as usual. She smiled instead of yelling at him for buying her flowers yet again. They said goodnight to Estelle, and headed to a nearby restaurant that the nobles were fond of. No one who wasn't one could afford to eat there. They sat outside on the balcony, which was not unoccupied but also not crowded. The waiter lit a candle at their table and brought them glasses of delicious wine that she couldn't pronounce. He looked at her like she was the only other person on earth, and they talked and smiled to each other all evening. She forgot to notice whether or not people were staring. They probably were, because they pretty much always were. Rita didn't care. After dinner they returned to the castle, taking a long walk on the grounds, holding hands and chatting softly. They watched the sun set together in beautiful shades of pink and purple, and all Rita could think about was how handsome this man beside her was, and how much she adored every moment she got to spend with him.

He traced a finger over the tattoo on her inner wrist, making her shiver and smile as she thought about the day she'd gotten it. Brave Vesperia had taken a secret outing the year before. It had been Yuri's idea, endorsed by Karol, their (sometimes) fearless guild leader. The idea was to get matching tattoos of brave vesperia itself, the brightest star in the night sky. Karol, Judith, and Yuri were official members and had the art etched into quite visible parts of arms or legs. Estelle had perhaps the largest conflict of interest being that she was technically in line for the imperial throne. "Are you sure you want this beneath your shoulder blade?" Judith asked. "It will mean no more backless dresses," she said softly by Estelle's ear. "I-I'm sure!" the princess said, and that was that. Rita and Schwann also were not 'supposed' to be official guild members. They chose to place the mark somewhere hidden away. They decided to put them in the same place, each acquiring the star on the right side of their ribcage. Schwann decided to ask for another tattoo while they were there, and he had his blastia wrapped already to keep it from being seen. When the tattoo artist asked about it, he made up some lame story about an old injury that acted up when it rains. The man looked at him, eyebrows raised. "It's nothing but sunshine out there today," he said suspiciously. Schwann nodded. "It won't be tomorrow," he answered gravely. Rita had a hard time containing her laughter. When the artist was finished, Schwann called her over. "What do you think, darling?" Her face could barely hold her smile when she saw the 'R' in beautiful script over the right side of his chest. "It's beautiful," she answered. "I want the same, but small, right here," she told the artist, pointing to the inside of her left wrist. She looked up and met Schwann's eyes. "Sorry, old man, no 'S' unless you want the whole castle talking." They had still been keeping their relationship a secret. She figured people would just think her vain and assume the 'R' was her own initial. He grinned and threw her a wink. "That suits me just fine, dear."

* * *

When the stars came out that night, Schwann took her upstairs, his lips finally meeting hers for the first time since that morning. "Did you have a nice time tonight, darling?" he asked softly. "Mmm," she answered. "It turns out that I did." He laughed a soft melody. "Will you go out with me again? Please?" He lifted her, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist. "How am I ever supposed to say no to you?" she asked in between kisses. He placed her on the bed, landing gently on top of her. "I'm hoping that you won't figure out how, actually," he said with a grin.

* * *

It was the first of many public dates. Rita felt like they were spending almost all of their time being watched. Courting, he'd called it. "What we should have done from the moment you got here." She hated that he still felt guilty, and that she'd caused him to feel that way. And so she allowed him to give her gifts, take her to fancy dinners, sit with her during meals in the dining hall, hold her hand in the hallways, take her on walks on the grounds. Occasionally he stole a small kiss in front of the nobles, making it clear that they were together.

On her nineteenth birthday she woke to find him smiling at her gently. "Happy birthday, darling," he said, kissing her on the cheek. He handed her a small rectangular box. She gave him a dirty look, as she'd already made it clear that he had given her enough gifts already and shouldn't get her anything for her birthday. He grinned at her, dodged the punch she threw his way, and watched eagerly as she lifted the lid off the box. "My blastia!" she gasped. "Not quite; it's a ruby, but it looks so much like your old necklace. Does it please you, honey?" Rita couldn't take her eyes off of it. "How could it not? It's beautiful." And she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him until they were both breathless. She wasn't sure she would ever get used to this life they were living. Schwann held onto her tightly, sure that he could never live another day without her.


	13. Chapter 13

Summary:

Cherry blossoms, blastia, and a lot more flowers

13

Two months had passed since she'd caused him to vanish for days. It felt like only a moment, and also a lifetime had passed since then. They had been spending so much time under the watchful eye of the castle that Rita was surprised when he asked her to go away with him for a few days. "We'll go to Halure, spend some time alone for a change," he murmured softly in bed late one night. "Alone?" she asked. "Completely." Rita sighed deeply. "Sounds perfect."

The next day he asked her to pack. "Bring something special; something that makes you feel beautiful." She rolled her eyes. "Your stupid bathrobe makes me feel beautiful." Schwann laughed happily. "Then bring my stupid bathrobe." She chose a dress instead, red silk that hugged all of her curves. When they arrived at the inn in Halure, she was pleased to see that their room had a balcony with a perfect view of the great tree. "They'll be bringing us dinner here later, so long as that's alright with you, darling," he murmured in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Perfect," Rita sighed. Soon after he broke away and grabbed a garment bag, leaving her alone to get ready. An hour later he returned with staff from the inn's kitchen who set up a table on the balcony for them. They lit a candle on the table and poured the wine before leaving them alone in blissful silence together. It was the most private meal they had shared in a long while.

When they finished dinner, they stood together watching the sunset, bursts of bright orange in contrast with the pink cherry blossoms. "You look amazing tonight, sweetheart," he said softly. She turned to him, looking him over. "You don't look so bad yourself, old man," she said, and he laughed heartily at the compliment. Rita honestly had no idea how he was so beautiful, but he was. They watched the painted sky a while longer before he spoke again. "Ritacchi," he said, "there was something that I wanted to ask you." She looked up at him curiously, and then he bent down on one knee, pulling a ring from his pocket and holding it out to her. She gasped in surprise. "W-What are you -" He shook his head gently, smiling at her. "Will you please allow me the honor of marrying you, darling?" She looked closer at the ring, which was most definitely _not _a diamond, then covered her mouth with her hand in shock. "It's a blastia!" she exclaimed. Her eyes met his. "It's _your_ blastia," she said, realizing it had to have come from the piece that had chipped off a few years back. His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. "Not many men can literally give their girl a piece of their heart," he said. Then he raised an eyebrow at her. "You still haven't answered my question." Rita laughed, choking back a sob and ignoring the sting in her eyes. "Of course! Yes! Yes, I'll marry you." He stood, still smiling, and slipped the ring onto her finger before pulling her in for a kiss.

They spent nearly the rest of their vacation in bed, unable to get enough of each other. When they woke on their last morning in Halure, he held her closely, and she could feel his smile as he pressed his lips to her neck. "I love you so much, Ritacchi. I'm so lucky to have you in my life." Rita laughed softly. "I'm really glad you feel that way, because you just signed up for eternity. If I can't figure out how to reverse this not aging thing, you'll literally be stuck with me forever." Schwann sighed deeply. "As it turns out, I'm completely fine with that." Rita felt a twinge in her stomach. "Even if I'm not around forever? You'd be watching me grow old and die." He turned her face towards him, looking into her eyes as he spoke. "If that's what needs to happen, then I'm still the luckiest man in the world to get to spend your life with you." She frowned deeply. "I don't like it. I don't want to… leave you here." She looked determined when she met his eyes again. "I'm going to find a way to be stuck here with you forever, Raven." He laughed, and the music was even sweeter now that she knew she never had to be without him again.

* * *

The evening they returned home, there was a dinner party in honor of Estelle's twenty-second birthday. Not a formal ball like she'd had in the past, but all of their friends were there. They hadn't all occupied the same space for some time now. After Estelle's birthday speech to thank everyone for coming, LeBlanc took over the microphone to make a few castle announcements. The last was unexpected; Rita didn't know he was aware of what had transpired while they were gone, although she really wasn't surprised. "Just one final announcement and then I shall leave you all to enjoy the rest of your evening," LeBlanc said, smoothly for what a moron he was most of the time. "Warmest congratulations to our first captain, Schwann Oltorain, and Miss Rita Mordio on their recent engagement!" Everyone was shocked, including their friends who they hadn't told yet. "Wait, what?!" Yuri exclaimed. Judith smirked, "saw that one coming." Sixteen year old Karol who had suddenly become way taller than he had any right to be shook Schwann's hand. "Congratulations, guys!" he said. Estelle was crying too hard to get any words out. Rita laughed. "I know, Estelle, you're just so happy for us." Estelle giggled as she hugged her, and then both she and Judith grabbed for Rita's hand. "Is that what I think it is?" Judy asked. Rita nodded.

LeBlanc stopped near their table after dessert. "Congratulations, miss," he said to her kindly. "You really are an idiot," she said. "What were you thinking?! You didn't need to announce that in the middle of Estelle's birthday dinner!" LeBlanc's face fell, which made Schwann (Raven?) turn his head and laugh into his hand. "Oh no, it's fine!" Estelle exclaimed. "I'm so happy that we found out tonight!" Yuri smirked. "I can't believe you weren't going to tell us," he said. LeBlanc stood there floundering, unsure of what to say or do. "Thank you for your kind congratulations," Schwann said. "Y-You're welcome, Sir!" he replied happily. "And please go home for the night after dinner," Schwann added, winking at Rita. "Yes, sir!" he said, leaving the table as the others burst into laughter.

* * *

When they returned to their room that night, Schwann smiled warmly at his fiancée as he opened the door and walked her inside. Rita let out an exasperated sigh. "What am I going to do with you?!" she exclaimed. The room was full of stupid freaking flowers. She thought she was safe from that when she moved in with him, because why on earth would he want to fill his _own_ room with them, but apparently not. "I can think of a few suggestions," he said, then scooped her up and carried her to the bed. "Fine," she said, "Let's hear them." His grin widened at the invitation. "Well," he said seriously between kisses, "You could scold me and make me sleep on the floor." Rita shook her head. "No room on the floor because there are _flowers everywhere_!" He sat back, pulling away from her. "You could send me away?" he suggested. She pulled him back to her. "No," she said with finality, nipping at his jaw playfully. "Anymore ideas?" she asked. "Just one more," he said, lust evident in his voice." She sighed softly. "Tell me," she said with another nip to his neck. "You could take my clothes off and have your way with me." It wasn't a question. "Mmm, I like that one," she said, already working on his shirt. He chuckled softly. "I should buy you flowers more often." She pulled away to glare at him before kissing him again. "Don't you _dare_," she said as he fell into hysterical laughter beneath her.

* * *

Notes: It's never actually said, but in my head, when Schwann disappears at the end of Chapter 9, he takes the chipped piece of blastia to a jeweler to have the ring made. His plan to correct his mistakes and make things right between them gets put into action immediately, and is the only reason he leaves.


	14. Chapter 14

Summary:

Rita realizes that planning a wedding is hard, Estelle almost bursts into flames, Repede gets pet a lot, Yuri saves the day, and Schwann gets all the credit.

14

Rita's engagement to Schwann had brought her much peace and happiness over the next several months. The nobles still gossipped behind their backs, but no one dared say anything to her face anymore. She couldn't care less if they approved of the relationship or not at this point, but it was nice to not have drunk middle aged ladies throwing drinks at her. She also really liked that she could hold his hand whenever she wanted to, and he had made a regular habit of kissing her (demurely, but it was better than nothing) in front of others. The part that currently had her frustrated was how often the castle staff bothered her about making wedding plans. Rita wasn't even remotely interested in that part. She didn't care where she married him, or what she wore, or what color the _stupid_ flowers were, so long as she got to keep him forever. And despite that, some of the opinions around the castle were really, _really_ bugging her.

She entered their room one afternoon feeling completely irritated at the group of Estelle's maids who had cornered her on her way back from lunch. When she flung the door open, he could feel the waves of anxiety coming off of her. "Are you alright, darling?" he asked, looking up from the papers in front of him. He had been reading over supervision notes, as it was time to recommend which of his knights would be promoted to a higher rank in the next quarter. "No," Rita sighed, collapsing into an armchair. "I was ambushed by the maids again." His eyes softened when he realized what must have been bothering her. "More wedding stuff?" he asked carefully. He knew that she was tired of being accosted in the hallways. It was probably about time he stepped in and helped her deal with the planning. Rita nodded. "Do you know what they had the nerve to tell me?" she asked, fury rising in her voice. "They said that I can't wear a white dress to the wedding because we've been _living in sin_." She hated that she sounded so whiny. It didn't really matter, right? He set down the fake reading glasses that he wore to appear older and approached her chair. When he motioned for her to get up, she stood, and he wrapped her up in his arms. "I'm sorry that they made you feel badly, honey. I think you should wear whatever you like to the wedding." Rita felt herself sob, just slightly. He pulled her with him to the other chair and sat, drawing soothing circles on her back while she rested her head on his shoulder. She felt herself relax, the tension falling out of her. "Sorry, I don't know why I let them get to me so much. I don't even care about this big wedding thing. I just want _you_." Schwann smiled and kissed her temple. "I'd be happy to help you plan things when I finish my work," he said. She snuggled in closer. "Or you could ask Estelle if you prefer." Rita looked up and gave him an innocent look. "I could ask her tomorrow… and you could help by distracting me later instead," she said, fluttering her lashes a little. He had no idea when she became so skilled at that. He smiled down at her. "Anything you want, darling."

* * *

The next day, she approached Estelle at breakfast and asked her friend to help with the wedding. "Oh, Rita, I would love to!" she exclaimed. She immediately started rambling on about all sorts of things that the maids would love and Rita hated talking about. "The flowers will be easy, I assume you want the ones Sir Schwann has always sent you, right?" Rita frowned. "I mean, I guess. But less of them, okay? I'll trip on my face if you fill the whole place up like he would. Rita smiled to herself, simultaneously thinking "_Idiot_" and daydreaming about kissing her stupid idiot. "Alright," Estelle said skeptically. "Have you thought about what color you want to wear? Cream would be nice, or a pale pink." Rita raised an eyebrow in a challenge. "It's a wedding. I was going to wear white," she said. Estelle blushed and spoke behind her hand, like they were schoolgirls sharing a huge secret. "Oh, actually, Rita, only… _virgins_ wear white on their wedding day," she whispered, looking like she was about to burst into flames. Rita laughed out loud at how ridiculous this whole thing was. "That's what your maids told me. Schwann said I should wear whatever I want. You can either humor me and let me wear white, or I'll make a statement and wear black. You pick," she said with a huge grin. Estelle sighed, exasperated. "Ok, Rita, I understand. I'll let everyone know that you want a white dress." Rita shot her friend a genuine smile. "Thanks, Estelle."

* * *

After weeks of trying to help Rita make proper wedding decisions, Estelle was frustrated. Frustrated enough to want some air, and not the kind you could find in the castle courtyard. She waited until no one was paying attention, and slipped out, heading down to the lower quarter. Repede found her immediately. Yuri found them a while later, sitting together by the fountain. Repede had given up on resisting Estelle quite some time ago, because the older he got, the better the petting felt. She was so lost in thought that she didn't even notice Yuri approach them. "Penny for your thoughts, princess?" he asked. "Oh! Yuri!" she exclaimed happily. "I'm sorry, I was just… thinking." Yuri sat beside her as she continued to pet the dog. "About what?" he asked. Estelle let out a long breath. "I've been trying to help Rita plan her wedding, and she's just _impossible_!" Yuri chuckled loudly. "I mean, that's our Rita, isn't it?" Estelle glared at him for just a moment. "I mean, yes, but… it's almost as if she would rather not have the wedding at all." Yuri was thoughtful for a moment. "You think they're having problems?" Repede shifted, offering his other side for petting. Yuri bit back a laugh. "Oh, no," Estelle said. "No, they're crazy about each other! I just think she hates everything about having a big, fancy wedding." Yuri hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe they shouldn't have it then. Maybe they should do something simple. Let me ask around and see what I can do." Estelle flung her arms around his neck. He tried to act ambivalent as the entire lower quarter stared at her display of affection. "Oh, Yuri! That's a wonderful idea, thank you so much!" Repede nipped at her ankle until she resumed his scratches.

* * *

On Rita's 20th birthday, Schwann woke her with a kiss. "We're going on a little adventure after breakfast," he warned her with a smile. She smiled back warmly, grateful that he hadn't surrounded her with flowers while she slept. She'd gotten birthday wishes from both Judith and Karol at breakfast, which was nice, as neither had been around the castle much lately. Afterwards, Schwann walked her down to the lower quarter where Yuri and Estelle waited. He stopped her before they reached them and took her hand. "Darling, it's been almost a year since I asked you to marry me," he said, placing a kiss across her fingers. "How about tomorrow?" he asked brightly. "W-What?" she asked, startled. "Yuri said there's a little chapel down here, and if we want to, we can have it tomorrow night. Just us, and our friends. What do you say, Ritacchi?" Rita's eyes were watering. "I'm sorry," she said, barely above a whisper. "I know I've been such a pain about this. I shouldn't have kept you waiting for so long." He wiped a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry that I didn't listen better. A big wedding at the castle was never what you wanted." A mischievous Raven smile lit up his face. "So what do you say we sneak out tomorrow and get married how we want to?" Rita threw her arms around his neck. "Yes!" she said, before crushing her lips to his. "Aww, how romantic!" Estelle squealed. When they finally broke apart, Yuri and Estelle showed them the chapel and introduced them to the justice who would be marrying them. Estelle kept babbling about a white dress and all the other little details, but Rita barely heard any of it. She squeezed Schwann's fingers and smiled up at him. She already had everything she needed right beside her.


	15. Chapter 15

Summary:

Rita and Schwann get hitched.

15

The next day, Schwann reluctantly let go of Rita after breakfast so Estelle would have time to torture her a little before the ceremony that evening. She'd insisted on just borrowing a dress instead of having something made, but he was certain Estelle would commandeer enough servants to alter whatever she chose to be exactly to her liking. The hours passed very slowly without her. She came and went most days while he worked, and it never bothered him. Today he felt like he wouldn't be able to breathe until she was back where she belonged. He took his time getting ready, because he was way too early, adjusting his tie in front of the mirror for what felt like an eternity. When he was finished, he slipped into the hallway to speak with LeBlanc before heading to the lower quarter. "You look very nice this evening, sir. Is it a special occasion?" Schwann placed a hand on LeBlanc's shoulder and spoke quietly. "Actually, Miss Mordio and I are getting married tonight. Just a small ceremony with our friends." LeBlanc's eyes widened, but Schwann continued before he had a chance to say anything. "You should come. The little chapel in the lower quarter," he said, and then walked off to meet his bride.

* * *

When he arrived at the chapel, he found Yuri, Karol, Judith, and Repede waiting. "Oh, good. If I was late she would have set me on fire," he said, and the others laughed. He'd expected to feel nervous, but instead a calm fell over him as he waited for Rita. When she walked into the chapel with Estelle, his stomach filled with butterflies. He gave her a relaxed smile anyway, despite the sudden frenzy he was feeling on the inside. The dress had certainly been altered. It was strapless and fitted down past her hips, ending at mid thigh. There was a slit on one side, exposing even more leg, with a lacy garter taunting him through the gap. To make up for the short dress, a long veil trailed down her back. Her hair was pulled up, showing off her deliciously long neck. She wore no jewelry, but her face was made up in an understated way, except for the dangerously long lashes she had allowed the girls to define. She carried absolutely no flowers, and she'd been right all along; she didn't need them at all. She was so beautiful that it almost hurt to look at her. Schwann was breathless. It felt like he had been punched hard in the gut.

LeBlanc ran in just in time to see Schwann's reaction to his future wife. "Are you trying to kill me, darling? Clearly eloping was the way to go," he said playfully as he took her hand and walked her to the altar. The ceremony was short, which was a relief to Rita. When the justice asked her the big question, "do you Rita take Raven to be your husband," his eyes lit up like stars as she enthusiastically said yes. "Do you Raven take Rita to be your wife?" the justice asked. "I do," he said, grinning like a fool. They exchanged simple gold wedding bands, and Estelle handed her back her engagement ring, a piece of his heart. Schwann had never felt happier than the moment he was allowed to kiss her, their very first married kiss. Rita was just as happy, but not thrilled that she was so misty-eyed. She supposed it was much less embarrassing here than it would have been in front of the entire castle. "Congratulations to you both," LeBlanc said with a sniffle, then whispered to his captain, "be sure you sign your legal name, sir." Everyone laughed as they signed the marriage license. Schwann clapped a hand on LeBlanc's shoulder. "You should get back before anyone notices your absence. We're staying here at the inn tonight. We'll be home tomorrow." LeBlanc nodded and exited the chapel, leaving Brave Vesperia alone to finish the celebration. After a million hugs and happy smiles from everyone, Rita was ready to say goodbye and get her new husband alone for the night.

They stayed in the same room he had rented when he'd made his colorful appearance as Raven over a year ago. He made quick work of getting her out of her dress and placing her gently on the bed. "Ritacchi," he murmured, starting to lightly caress her skin with his fingers. "I want to touch every inch of you tonight." She shivered at the amount of desire in his voice, as well as the tingle his fingers were leaving down the side of her neck. He spent a very long time just touching and kissing her. Eventually, neither of them could stand to wait a moment longer. She removed the little bit of clothing he had managed to hang onto. Just before closing the last remaining space between them, she paused. "Hey," she said softly, gazing into his eyes. "I love you more than anything." He smiled gently. "I love you, too. More than my own life," he sighed, and then they took the leap together, becoming one on a whole new level. They spent hours just enjoying each other, every sensation heightened with emotion. When they were both out of energy, he held her securely in his arms. After awhile, a laugh escaped her lips. "Is something funny, darling?" he asked with a smile, kissing her on the temple. "It just keeps getting better and better with you, doesn't it?" she asked wryly. "Well now, darling, if I showed you all of my cards now, what would you have to look forward to?" She punched him in the stomach, and once his melody of joyous laughter began, she knew she had a lot of work ahead of her. There was no way that she was ever letting go of this man, no matter what she had to do to achieve it.


	16. Chapter 16

Summary:

Honeymoons and quite a bit of juice.

16

The next day, they returned home to the castle to make arrangements for their honeymoon. Rita was relieved that she didn't have to do anything but pack. Schwann had to speak with Flynn and secure the time off, and make all the necessary plans and reservations. He also had work to delegate to his men. She barely saw him all day long, which completely sucked. Estelle and Judith had offered to help her pack. Rita laughed hysterically at the way Estelle blushed while Judith tossed sexy unmentionables into Rita's suitcase. "Seriously, Estelle, you're twenty three years old now," Rita commented. "This really shouldn't make you so uncomfortable." Judith nodded. "It's also about time you put the moves on Yuri, don't you think?" Estelle gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. "_Judith_!" she exclaimed. "Oh, come on, Estelle, you've liked him _forever_;" Rita complained. "Everyone knows it. _He_ knows it." Estelle looked like she was about to burst into flames. "He does?!" she asked incredulously. "Then why hasn't he…" Judith patted her on the arm. "He isn't sure it's what you want, because you've never said anything." She glanced at Rita. "Don't worry, I'll help her come up with a plan while you're _enjoying_ your honeymoon." Rita glared at her friend. "Shut it," she said, with no real anger behind it.

* * *

Enjoy was definitely a word Rita would use to describe the two weeks of bliss she spent with Schwann away from the castle. They spent the first week in Yumanju relaxing at the spa. Apparently if you had enough money (and her husband certainly did), you could rent out the baths late at night. Being able to privately enjoy themselves there was incredible. Rita had always felt relaxed when they'd visited the spa with their friends, but being alone with him there was on a whole different level. The second week was spent in Halure. He had rented the room where he had proposed to her. They shared quiet meals on the balcony, took long walks up to the great tree, and spent time just _being_ together. No one really knew who they were there, so they could just peacefully exist.

* * *

The night they returned home, they had dinner in the crowded dining hall with Estelle, Yuri, and Judith. Karol was off on guild business, but the others were all present. Even Flynn and Yoder had decided to join them at their table. During the evening announcements, LeBlanc got all mushy over the mic again, congratulating them on their recent marriage and welcoming them home. When he was done and the murmuring around the room settled back down, Schwann frowned slightly. "I assume not everyone was thrilled with the way we chose to handle things?" he asked with a wince. Yoder laughed cheerfully. "You were quite the gossip when everyone found out, but most people seem to have gotten over it quickly." Schwann nodded in relief. "I'm sorry we didn't let you know in advance, your highness, it was rather last minute." Yoder waved off the apology. "Oh, you're fine. To be honest, it took some of the heat off of the recent speculation about whether or not I will marry soon, and Estellise as well." Estelle gulped, looking down at her hands that were folded in her lap. Yuri looked at her, a concerned expression on his face. Schwann smiled at Yoder, glancing over at Estelle. "Happy to help," he said cheerfully. "Nevermind all that," Judith said, attempting to draw attention away from Estelle, "we want to hear about the honeymoon." Rita contemplated for awhile before speaking. "Uh, yeah. No," she responded. "Oh, come on, we want all the _juicy_ details," Judy purred. "Never," Rita answered with a devious laugh. She liked having such good things that she didn't have to share with anyone.

* * *

"Are you alright?" she asked Estelle at breakfast a week later, while Schwann was off getting an update from his knights, and Karol and Judith were at the juice bar mixing all the flavors together. Estelle looked up at her, a frown on her face. "Oh, of course I am, Rita, I'm sorry for being so rude." Rita considered her friend thoughtfully. "I take it you haven't figured out how to tell him how you feel yet?" Estelle sighed. "No, I told him. He said he feels the same, but the pressure on me to marry is greater with every day that passes, and I don't think he's ready for that. He might never be." Rita hummed softly. "You could always sneak off to the lower quarter and elope," she suggested. Estelle giggled. "I don't think that would work for me. The council expects me to have a proper wedding." Rita smiled brightly, trying to cheer her friend up. "Then I guess you'll just have to convince him." Karol returned to the table with a glass of potion that looked deadly. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked. Rita wrinkled her nose. "About how weird you are," she teased. Judith's glass of juice didn't look much better. They would have to wait until the kid wasn't around to strategize.


	17. Chapter 17

Summary:

Rita becomes an immortal deal maker.

17

Rita spent her time that year split between taking pleasure in her married life, and making a final attempt to find a way to make Raven resume aging. On her 21st birthday, she concluded that there was no way to undo what she had done without killing him. So she switched gears completely and began working on a plan to stop herself from aging, too. It was a completely different situation, so it would take time to work it out. She spent as much of her days researching and experimenting as possible, without taking any time away from her husband. They spent lengthy evenings and very long nights wrapped up in each other, completely absorbed in their relationship. Her eagerness to solve her problem as quickly as possible left her with little rest, as she refused to sleep in even when they kept each other up most of the night.

At twenty five, she found a way to do it. She spoke with him on the evening of her birthday. "I know that we've talked about this before, but I just want to be sure you're okay with it before I do it." He raised an eyebrow at her. A question. She answered before he actually asked. "Forever is a long time," she said softly. He kissed her gently. "It may not even be long enough with you," he answered. "My only concern is whether you've spent enough time thinking through all the things you'd be giving up for me." Rita shook her head. "You can't possibly still think that you don't deserve to be happy, can you?!" she asked in disbelief. He smiled sheepishly before he continued. "It isn't about that. You would be giving up the right to find someone to grow old with; giving up on having children. And you would have to watch all of your friends grow old and die. It isn't an easy decision, and I wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to live out a normal life, darling." Rita took both of his hands in hers. "Screw growing old. I want to spend eternity with you. And I would rather live on with you when our friends are gone than let you watch me die along with them. As for children…" She closed her eyes for just a moment, seeing a flash of little ones running towards her laughing, with dark, wavy hair and blue-green eyes. "If we decide that's something we want someday, we'll figure out a way to do it. For now, I have everything that I could possibly want." He closed his eyes, and a painful look crossed over his face just briefly. Was he seeing what she had seen? Then the moment passed and he reopened his eyes. "Alright, darling. If this is what you want, count me in." Then he crushed his lips to hers, silently thanking his lucky stars that he would get to keep her forever.

* * *

Once it was done, she arranged a private meeting with Flynn and Yoder. Flynn knew about Raven's heart. He had shown up right after they fought Duke, just in time to see Raven collapse and Rita hustle to save his life as she had planned when the spirit conversion happened. Yoder had no idea, but had always been sympathetic to his situation. He knew that asking him to become Schwann again had been a great sacrifice, one that he had only agreed to because if he remained as Raven, he would never be a free man. Nine years had passed since then, and Rita felt it was time to renegotiate. Schwann gave her hand a squeeze before they knocked on the commandant's door. "Let me do the talking, alright?" she asked. He nodded to her as the door opened.

Rita was terrified that word of what she was capable of would get out, but even more afraid of what would happen when people started asking questions. Schwann hadn't aged in almost a decade. He was pushing 45 and didn't even come close to looking it. And now Rita would look 25 forever. It would be dangerous to stay here for too much longer. "Captain Schwann has served you for many years more than he originally planned to. I think it would be best for all involved if he retires at fifty. That's five years from now. I'll be thirty then, and I won't look it. He will have given you an extra fourteen years of service by then. I think that's quite enough to earn his freedom back, don't you?" Schwann looked at her calmly with admiration, and said nothing. He had promised to stay out of it. The reality was, he would do anything it took to keep her safe and by his side. Even if that meant living in the castle forever. "We will have to speak to the council, but I believe it's a fair deal," Yoder said pleasantly. "Do you agree, Flynn?" The commandant was thoughtful for a moment. "Yes," he said slowly. "To be perfectly honest, it's what we wanted from the beginning. We will do all we can to convince them that you have paid your debt, Captain Schwann." Rita proudly stuck her hand out to seal the deal. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, boys." Schwann hid a laugh behind his hand and ducked out of the room, filling the hallway with beautiful music.


	18. Chapter 18

Summary:

Grocery shopping and tons of flowers.

18

At age fifty, first captain Schwann Oltorain officially began early retirement. After a final walkthrough of their room to make sure nothing had been left behind, he and Rita stepped out into the hall where LeBlanc was waiting. Schwann clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Take care, son," he said warmly. LeBlanc sniffled. "Thank you, sir. You will be greatly missed." Schwann winked as he took Rita's arm, beginning to lead her down the hall. "Oh, I don't know. I think things will be left in good hands." When the commandant asked to meet with LeBlanc, and explained that Sir Schwann had recommended that he take over as captain, he cried again before graciously accepting.

* * *

Rita and Schwann settled into a modest house in Halure. He had offered to buy her any home she wanted, but its modest size was more than enough for them. She didn't really care where they lived, just that they were together. It was a quiet town for the most part, and no one cared who they were there. More importantly, no one thought it was weird that he looked 35 and she looked 25. They could live however they wanted. She found it mildly surprising that he didn't really change much. He didn't go back to his baggy Raven clothes and messy ponytails. She supposed there really was no need to now; he could finally just be himself. So he still looked and dressed like Schwann, but seemed more comfortable with himself, and smiled much more than he ever did at the castle. Rita adored being able to go places together without any judgement. She held his hand all the way to the grocery store, and he flirted with her mercilessly as they walked up and down the aisles, deciding what to have for dinner. They could touch one another wherever they went without having to deal with the gossip that was so rampant in the castle. If someone in Halure caught him pinching her ass in the frozen foods section, it didn't destroy their reputation. In fact, they didn't have to care about reputations at all anymore.

At home they moved around each other easily, comfortable in the small space. It was a bit bigger than their suite at the castle had been, but they were both home most of the time. That would cause conflict for a lot of couples, but not them. Having him close by - reading, bringing her tea, or cooking dinner never felt like a disruption to her work. It was perhaps a slight distraction to want him so much and know that he was always within reach, but she had no real deadlines. He had stockpiled money both before and during their years in Zaphias, so neither of them had a need to work anymore. Rita worked for pleasure, and never felt guilty putting it aside for an afternoon for the pleasure of being with her husband. The nights were even sweeter. They had managed to keep every bit of the passion that they felt for each other while also adding a layer of tenderness that hadn't been as prominent before. Rita truly felt like she was even more in love with this man than ever. Some days it seemed like her heart might burst from how much he filled it. Schwann felt completely grateful to finally be living a blissful life of his choosing, alone with the woman he loved more than his own existence.

* * *

Two years later, he was in the backyard, tending to his flower gardens. Sunny yellows, happy pinks, lustful purples, and vibrant oranges filled the main garden. On the side of the yard, he had planted only smouldering fire lilies. As he was contemplating bringing in a bouquet for his love, he heard her shouting at someone. When he walked in through the back door, he heard a man ask if Schwann Oltorain lived there. "Who the hell wants to know?" Rita asked, full of attitude. "Ritacchi?" he called out to her. "Darling? Is everything alright?" When he made his way to the front of the house she turned to him, arms crossed defensively across her chest, then nodded at the two orange-clad soldiers on their doorstep. "C-Captain Schwann!" the one on the right exclaimed. "You… you look exactly the same." Both of their faces fell as they took in the both of them. "You do as well, miss," the one on the left said somberly. This was _exactly_ why they had left the castle! Schwann sensed their unease and attempted to diffuse it, smiling brightly. "Genetics. I certainly picked well, am I right boys?" he asked in a teasing tone. Rita tried not to laugh. "Y-Yes, sir!" the left one said. "Is there something that you needed?" Schwann asked next, one eyebrow slightly raised. He could feel how tense Rita was without touching her, so he lightly wrapped a hand around one of her arms in support. "Oh, yes, sir!" the right one exclaimed. "Captain LeBlanc asked us to check on you." Rita scoffed. "_Captain_?" she asked sarcastically, while Schwann smiled proudly. He was glad that Flynn had taken his recommendation to heart. "Well, as you can see, we're just fine," he responded to his former men. "Is there anything else?" The left one coughed. "The captain asked us to deliver this to you," he said, handing over a fancy silver envelope that said _'To Mr. and Mrs. Schwann Oltorain'_ in elaborate script on the front. Schwann nodded. "Thank you," he said kindly. "You're both dismissed." And then he shut the door on them and let out a sigh as Rita grabbed the card from his hand.

"Why would they need to check up on you?" she asked, glancing at him as she tore the envelope open. "No idea," he answered. "Is it something good?" Rita smiled. "Estelle and Yuri's wedding." Then her face fell. "We… probably shouldn't go," she said sadly. He stepped in front of her and tilted her chin up. "I think we absolutely should go. They're our closest friends; it would seem odd if we didn't attend, wouldn't it?" He kissed her lips gently before letting go of her chin. "Are you sure?" she asked, searching his expression. "It should probably be the last time," he admitted. Rita sighed. "Are we going to dress all frumpy so we look like old people?" she asked. His melodious laugh made her smile. "Absolutely not! If it's the last time the people of Zaphias are going to see us, we're going to look better than all of them put together." Rita kissed him deeply, then dragged him off to the bedroom.


	19. Chapter 19

Summary:

Rita and Schwann return to Zaphias.

19

On the day they were to leave for Zaphias, they had decided to stay in bed much later than usual. "_Raven_," Rita sighed, still riding the waves of a lustful morning with the man she adored. The smile he gave her was both devilish and full of love. It was stupid how easy it was for him to be everything she ever wanted at the same time. It was also a little stupid that she still called him by both names. They were both interchangeably his. "What do you think, darling? Would you like one more before we hit the road?" Rita sighed again, even more deeply. "_God_, yes." He chuckled happily before he resumed bringing her more pleasure than she'd ever felt before. Never getting old made for a freaking awesome sex life. After two more (what the hell, it wasn't like they _had_ to be there at any certain time), they reluctantly broke apart to get ready for the trip.

* * *

LeBlanc greeted them when they arrived at the castle, taking their bags off of them and handing them off to one of his men. "It's so good to see you, sir," he said emotionally. "Miss," he said kindly, nodding to Rita. "Your old room is ready and waiting for you." Schwann raised an eyebrow. "No one took it over?" he asked curiously. "Oh, no, sir, absolutely not," LeBlanc replied. He moved in close, lowering his voice. "The commandant decided to leave your rank unfilled. You were the first 'first captain', and also the last." Schwann frowned. "Huh. Interesting." And then he moved past it, returning to his usual cheerful demeanor. "Ready, darling?" he asked as he offered his arm to Rita. She smiled and took it, letting him lead her to their old room. No one was stationed out in the hall. It seemed they were going to actually have a little bit of privacy on this trip.

Schwann unlocked the door with the key that LeBlanc had passed to him. Rita stepped in and turned to him, raising an eyebrow. Then she pulled him into the room and slammed the door shut behind them. He pressed her up against the door, kissing her deeply, running his hands all over her body. "This should prove to be an interesting stay here," he said, gasping for air. "Should we see how much it would take to bring about a noise complaint?" Rita laughed breathlessly. "That seems like a worthy goal." She pushed him back until he tumbled onto the bed, then climbed on top of him. "Taking control, darling?" Rita pinned his hands above his head, and bent down to kiss him greedily. "Is that a complaint?" she asked. "Never," he answered. It always pleased him when she took the lead, showing him what she wanted. If he was being honest, her tendency to take whatever she wanted was one of the qualities that had first drawn him to her all those years ago. He'd wanted to be the thing that she wanted most. It was still a huge turn on after seventeen years together.

* * *

A couple of hours later, they joined the rest of Brave Vesperia for dinner. Schwann noticed Yuri out in the courtyard before they headed into the dining hall. "Go on ahead and see our princess, I'll be there soon," he told Rita, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and heading outside. He sat beside Yuri on a bench. "I was going to say 'what do you want, old man?' until I remembered that doesn't really work anymore," Yuri said wryly. Schwann turned towards him, eyes studying Yuri's face. "Why would that be?" he questioned. Yuri laughed. "I'm three years older than you, Raven." Schwann thought that over for a moment. "Well, at least you've only had to live each year once. I've done thirty-five... eighteen times now," he decided. He didn't really have to count. Every moment since he'd met Rita had been memorable. "Is that why you're sitting out here by yourself the night before your wedding? Because you're old?" Yuri snorted. "Hardly. It's just really stifling in there." He looked over at Schwann. "Probably would have come in if I knew you guys were here." Schwann smirked. "Oh, we've been here for hours now." Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know?" Schwann shook his head. "Ready to go in now?" Yuri let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, I guess I am."

They found the others still fussing over each other as if Rita had just walked in. She was thankful that Estelle finally let go of her long enough to give Schwann a brief hug, before he passed her back to Yuri. Rita turned to her husband, trying to telepathically tell him 'thanks' with her eyes. He smiled and kissed her temple, so she figured he got the message. "It's super weird how young you guys still look," twenty nine year old Karol said. He was married to Nan, and they had two year old twins, a boy and a girl, who had been born just before they'd left the castle. Judith had chosen to have a son on her own, and he was five already. "Where are your kids?" Rita asked them both. "I hope you didn't let the pooch babysit or something." Judith laughed warmly. Karol scowled. "Nan offered to watch them all so we could catch up over dinner. You know, guild business and all!" he said excitedly. Yuri finally relaxed now that he was sitting beside Estelle. "Let's get down to business, then," he said.

They stayed in the hall talking and catching up for hours. Eventually both Judith and Karol excused themselves to go check on the kids and give Nan a break. Rita and Schwann spent another hour with Estelle and Yuri before finally calling it a night. Before they separated, Estelle pulled Rita aside. "I hope that I haven't offended you by asking Judith to be my maid of honor, Rita. I wanted to ask you but didn't know how to get a hold of you!" Rita's eyes widened. "Of course I'm not offended, why would I be?" Estelle blushed slightly. "It's just that you're my best friend, and it's traditional to-" Rita cut her off with a wave of her hand. "You couldn't have known where to find me. No one was _supposed_ to know." She glared at LeBlanc who was standing at the opposite end of the hall. He'd insisted on keeping watch over them from a distance during their little reunion. Estelle giggled. "I'm really very sorry about that. Will you… have to move now?" she asked, concerned. Rita sighed. "I'm not sure yet. We'll have to discuss it later." Estelle smiled. "Well, in the meantime, I'm so happy that you're both here!" Rita smiled back at her oldest friend. "Yeah, me too."

* * *

After they went back to their room, they spent the rest of the night enjoying each other's company loudly. Rita burst into uncontrollable giggles when a soldier (one of Schwann's former men) knocked and asked them to please keep it down. The knight's eyes widened to the size of saucers when he realized the man in the bathrobe that he was scolding was his former captain. "Oh, Captain Schwann, I'm so sorry. Please, carry on," he said before escaping down the hall. Schwann couldn't stop smiling when he slipped back into bed. "It sure is fun being a guest here, isn't it? We can break all the rules we want." Rita had to agree. They would raise a little hell before going back to their own happy life.


	20. Chapter 20

Summary:

Estelle and Yuri get married; Schwann is a dancing fool.

20

Estelle and Yuri's wedding was the perfect reminder that Rita and Schwann had made the right choice by eloping. It was painfully formal. Yuri looked uncomfortable until the vows, and then he looked absolutely delighted to finally marry the girl he had loved for so long. After the ceremony there was a formal dinner in the castle hall. All of Brave Vesperia sat at the head table with the bride and groom, Flynn, Yoder and his new fiancée, and a handful of other important nobles. Yoder's engagement was the reason Yuri and Estelle had finally moved forward with their wedding plans. In a year or two, Yoder would marry and officially become emperor. Once that happened, the princess could live elsewhere if she chose. They wouldn't be bound to the castle for much longer. Schwann could relate to the feeling of freedom when being allowed to finally leave. As pleasant as this visit had been so far, he missed puttering around in their little house and tending his garden. Rita caught him far away in thought and touched his arm. "You okay?" she whispered. He nodded. "Just thinking of home," he said with a small smile that spread to her own face.

After dinner, Brave Vesperia relocated to the lower quarter. Hanks had decided to throw a huge after party for the happy couple. All of the residents attended, and had worked together to organize everything. There was music and dancing, food and drink, and a whole lot of happiness to go around. Estelle's dress thankfully had a removable train that made it much more manageable for dancing in the lower quarter. As soon as they arrived, Rita completely lost Schwann who ran off to play with the children. Judith came up beside her and laughed warmly. "Reminds me of that night in Mantaic," she said. Rita smiled, watching her husband dance and throw around their friends' children. "That was a great night," she sighed, remembering the joyous expression on Raven's face and how he'd kept going until he was completely worn out. It looked like tonight would be the same. "Have you considered having some of your own?" Judith asked curiously. Rita's eyes widened as she turned to her friend in surprise. "I mean, it's obvious that he would make a great dad," Judy continued. "We've talked about it," Rita said, returning her gaze to her husband. "Neither of us is ready for things to change right now." She turned to Judith and added quietly, "and it's not like we don't have all the time in the world." Judith laughed. "I suppose you do!"

The children got tired before Schwann did, so he dragged Rita onto the makeshift dance floor, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her deeply as they swayed to the music. "Hey," she warned, "we aren't supposed to be drawing attention away from the bride," she said, starting to laugh before she even finished. He twirled her around, making a big spectacle of them as a response. "_Idiot_," she muttered. The joyful tempo of his laughter made her heart flutter. Rita loved spending time with their friends, yet she still couldn't wait to be alone with him.

After a few hours of dancing and celebrating, the party finally started to break up. Estelle approached them, ready to say goodnight. "I'm so glad that you both came!" she exclaimed happily. "Yuri and I have been thinking about spending some time in Halure soon. Maybe we can see you?" Rita felt her face fall. The right thing to do for everyone would be to move again. Schwann pulled her closer to his side, giving her a squeeze. "We would absolutely love to see you, princess." Rita looked up at him in surprise. Estelle didn't seem to notice. "Oh, wonderful! We'll be in touch soon!" she said, giving Rita a quick hug and running off to find Yuri. Rita turned to her husband. "Really?" she asked quietly. "Shouldn't we-" He placed his hands on her waist. "No," he said with finality. "I love everything about our home and being there with you. I asked LeBlanc to refrain from any future intrusions," he said. "If anything else unexpected happens, we can deal with it then." Rita threw her arms around his neck, reaching up to kiss him. "So we get to go home now?" He smiled down at her happily. "As soon as you're ready, darling." She crushed her lips to his again, without a care in the world. "In the morning, then."


	21. Chapter 21

Summary:

More grocery shopping, gardening, cooking dinner, and a sweet ending.

21

When Rita and Schwann arrived home in Halure, they both felt sweet relief. Seeing everyone had been fun, but now they could go back to their happy, everyday life together. Once they unpacked their bags, Schwann looked at Rita, one eyebrow raised. "Grocery shopping?" he asked, with excitement in his voice. Rita laughed. "Yeah. Come on, stupid," and she took him by the hand, leading him out the door and down the street. Once there, Rita giggled as he continually pinched, and slapped, and otherwise harassed her up and down the aisles of the grocery store. "You just like it here because you can get away with this crap," she said knowingly. He beamed at her. "Isn't that what you like about it, too, darling?" He winked and put his arm around her waist as she continued to push their little grocery cart. After a few moments she glanced at him, grinning wickedly. "Maybe."

When they returned to the house, Schwann spent some time in the backyard tending to the flowers. A neighbor had watered them for him while they were gone, but they needed some further care. When he was satisfied, he cut a few of the most cheerful colored stems and brought in a bouquet for Rita, who had spent the time going through the mail and making sure everything was in order. She smiled at the yellow and pink flowers, inhaling deeply when he handed them to her. He knew her too well, so he got a vase and filled it with water himself. He took the flowers back from her, which brought a huge frown to her face. He laughed in surprise. "No worries, darling, you can have them right back." She smiled again when he handed her the vase, taking another sniff before she set them on the kitchen table.

In the late afternoon, they cooked a meal together, talking easily as they chopped, sliced, steamed and stirred. Rita loved how easy being with him was. It reminded her of their days at the Brave Vesperia camp, minus her sarcastic attitude and all the sexual tension between them back then. She still remembered that aching need she felt for him when they worked or fought beside each other. She felt that same need and even more, but it was much different now that she could do something about it. Some nights it meant that dinner didn't get finished until later. Rita was totally fine with that. That night they managed to get through dinner and a glass of wine before things got too heated for polite company.

It was nice having their privacy back after a few days at the castle. Schwann enjoyed making love to his lady without worrying about how loud they were or what anyone thought of them. It had taken a lot of confidence to spend all those years at the castle, under the scrutiny of everyone, and being heard by many. He had spent so many years alone before Rita. Pleasing her made him happy, and the more noise she made, the more sure he was that her needs were being filled properly. There were no quiet nights with Rita in their house where the closest neighbors (probably) couldn't hear how loud she was screaming his name. He chuckled at the thought that if they could hear, they likely thought she had two lovers with her alternating which name she called him. "What?" she asked breathlessly between moans as he laughed. He smiled at her brightly and shook his head, returning to his favorite job of making her happy.

After another morning romp, Rita rolled onto her stomach and shot him a playful smile. "You look like you're up to no good, darling," he said lazily, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I was just thinking about something," she said, tracing the inky outline of her initial on his chest gently with her finger. He raised an eyebrow. A question. "When did you first know that you liked me?" she asked. Schwann was thoughtful for a moment. "I liked you from the moment I met you, Ritacchi." She laughed. "You did not! I was so mean to you!" He smiled at her response. "It was certainly clear that you didn't like _me_ then, but I definitely liked you." Rita frowned. "Fine. Then when did you know that you _wanted_ me?" Schwann laughed, pulling her closer to him and giving her a squeeze. "The first time you gave me a good punch to the stomach." Rita raised an eyebrow. "Wasn't that the same day?" Schwann shook his head. "About a week later, maybe. All that fire in you was incredibly attractive." He kissed her on the cheek gently. "What about you, darling? When did you know that you liked me? Or is the jury still out?" She punched him, much softer than she would have in the past. "You started being really nice to me, no matter how awful I was to you. You'd help me with the chores around camp, or share your snack with me, carry my bag if I looked tired." He gave her a smug smile. "And then? When you knew you wanted me?" She spent a long time trying to think of one defining moment before she spoke. "That time you walked in on us at the spa and saw me naked. Everyone thought you were trying to get a good look at Judith, but your eyes never left my body even for a second. And I liked it," she admitted with a slight blush. "After that it pissed me off even more when you'd make comments about her." Schwann gently ran his fingers up and down her arm. "I never really had eyes for anyone but you, darling." He kissed her gently.

"When did you know that you love me?" she asked quietly. Present tense, because they both knew it was never going to change. He didn't even have to think about it. "The first day you stormed into my room at the castle. Your hair was long and wild, and you were full of fire and didn't care who was there to see you lash out at me." She smiled softly. "It's the same for me. Seeing you again after looking for you for so long, and finally having you right in front of me. Nothing else mattered anymore." She pulled him in for a tender kiss. "I love you, Raven. Please stay with me forever." He smiled so widely that it was contagious. "I love you, too, Ritacchi. I'm not going anywhere."

Notes: Thank you so much for reading! I don't know how I ended up writing a 21 chapter story but it was a bright spot in a busy summer. I don't feel done with this pair, so look out for more (probably) shorter stories in the future!


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